The Tiny Series 1: Destiny Rejected
by CynderBlue
Summary: Darren Shan survived the wounds to his stomach and awoke two months later. Des-Tiny, whether through some twisted plan or purely by accident didn't totally keep magic from his son. Now the Cirque Du Freak will face the greatest enemy of all: The consequences of Mr. Tiny's meddling with time. Desmond Tiny has paid for his crimes. The Lord Of The Shadows is born.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Cirque Du Freak or its characters.

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_(Immediately after Darren falls into the water and "dies")_

"Desmond Tiny, you will pay for your crimes against the fabric of reality. We have threatened you with destruction and torture. Now we now that neither of those things will suffice for the atrocities you have committed. We will give you exactly what you wanted. The Lord of the Shadows will be created."

The man in the green rain boots chuckled merrily. "That hardly seems like a punishment."

"Oh but it is Desmond. For when you return to the world of the living, you will see the error of your ways. The pain you have caused to others will be forced upon you. It would be a mercy if your mind snapped under the strain."

Mr. Tiny scratched his chin with one hand and raised a finger on the other. "Do tell me…is this supposed to make me a changed man?" He smirked. "I feel no sorrow, regret or love."

"You will feel everything," the eerie voices snapped. "As no more then a human; and trust me Desmond they feel. You will know the pain of families that were ripped apart. The anger and grief of two brothers forced to fight to the death. Millions of years of hurt."

For the first time Mr. Tiny looked mildly concerned. "What about the Lord of the Shadows?" He asked, attempting to brush off the previous few seconds. "What does a faceless monster have to do with punishing an old man?"

"He will be the key."

"The key to what?"

"When you awake from your punishment there will be war. War that you caused through your greedy wishes. The Lord of the Shadows was what you wanted."

"And what I still want," Mr. Tiny snapped.

"Do you?" There was a lengthy pause. "Some of us still think you can be redeemed. So I give you this. The Lord cannot be killed unless one person in particular forgives you."

"Who-?"

Mr. Tinys' words were cut off when a wind blew through the cave. All the objects he'd collected over millennium ripped, tore and hit the walls, shattering into hundreds of pieces. The water from the pool where he made his Little People was caught up in the wind and before Mr. Tiny could do anything more then stare, thunderstruck the liquid engulfed him.

The voice came again, chuckling as Mr. Tiny thrashed in the liquid, his mouth opening in a choked howl. "I forgot. We can't have you dying too quickly. So we will give you back your powers…after we finish."

(Two months later)

"Damn," was the first word I uttered upon awakening to see a rat perched on my chest, eating what appeared to be an old candy wrapper. The rat squeaked and abandoned its treat when I let an almost animalistic growl and swung a numb arm at it. I clutched the candy and turned over the foil wrapping. A curly H and brown wrapping proved it used to be a Hershys' bar. My stomach rumbled painfully just thinking about chocolate. I abandoned the long since eaten food and sought to feel the wound in my side. Only smooth, unscarred skin met my questing fingers. I sat up quickly, holding back a disgusted moan when dirty sewer water slopped off my bare chest. I probed the wound again. No pain, no hint of a fatal stab wound except a thin white line that wasn't quite a scar.

Digging through my pockets took only seconds and I laid out the contents on a relatively dry part of the tunnel. A dead cell phone, wallet, soaked dollar bills, some change and the other half of the Hershys bar was all I had. The stabbing hunger came again and I almost braved the chocolate before throwing it down the tunnel. I had just survived what should have been a fatal wound. There was no need to tempt fate again through ingesting some terrible disease. Opening the wallet I was startled to find a pocket knife inside along with what looked like credit cards, and a picture of Debbie well worn by water and muck. Her face was still visible though and I smiled, brushing a finger along her cheek.

I put the items back in my pocket, minus the ruined money and wallet. A shaft of light shone down a few feet away, through what I assumed was a sewer grate. I got up and took a few wobbling steps toward it, shoving back painful memories. '_Steve's dead body falling into the darkness, Vancha lying on the ground and Mr. Tiny confessing he was my father.' _I shuddered and forged ahead, slipping several times on substances I had no wish to investigate further.

When I reached the grate and peered through, I couldn't hear any cars. I jumped up and stuck a finger through the gaps, pulling back with a startled sound. Snow fell through the opening and landed on a scrap of fabric tucked into my jeans that I hadn't noticed before. I pulled it out and ash fell from the cloth. It was the remains of my shirt. The edges were burnt to a crisp and even as I held it pieces drifted free. I ignored this and put the cloth into another pocket, deciding that escaping the sewer was a bigger worry.

Two shoves later and I scrambled out onto the curb into bright winter sunlight. I tripped over the curb and fell face first into a snow drift. The snow was harsh on my skin but I snatched handfuls up and wiped the worst of the gunk off my skin.

"Hey, are you alright?!"

I turned and saw a man approaching with his dog. I had the sudden insane urge to jump the man and sink my teeth into his neck. Blood was at the top of my list then.

"I'm fine," I said wearily; shocked at how hoarse my voice was. I couldn't help but study the pulse jumping in the mans throat as he watched me with a bemused expression. "Um, what month is it?"

"November," the dog walker said carefully. "Are you sure you're ok?" he added.

"Y-Yes," I stammered. "Too much to drink." _'Two months,'_ I thought horrified. '_Everyone must think I'm dead_.'

"It's not safe to be out at night," the man said gesturing to the dusky sky.

"Why?"

The man snorted but his face had gone waxy. "You really had to have been on the drink today."

I frowned. "Just tell me why," I said impatiently.

"Things," the dog walker whispered hoarsely. "Things come out of the shadows."

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A.N. This is my first fan fiction. I hope you like it! Please R&amp;R : ) Next chapter will be up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Cirque Du Freak.

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The conversation with the dog walker had left me more then a little shaken. After telling him that I was fine, and assuring him that seeking shelter was a top priority I left. I had looked back once and watched the man flee for his car. Then I walked down the street and into a small bookstore on the corner. Only a few people browsed through the shelves; I waited, flicking through the mystery section before they too left after checking their watches. Then it was me and the storekeeper, who was busy stacking shelves and checking the cash register.

"Excuse me," I said. "What time is it?"

The bookkeeper looked up startled, his graying hair sticking up in all directions. "Almost six." He scrutinized me. "You should be heading home young man. The streets aren't safe these days."

"Yes, I was already told so," I said carefully. "He said there are things in the city after dark?"

"What rock have you been living under?" The bookkeeper asked.

I sighed. "I haven't been here for more then an hour at most. I was just passing through, but my wallet was stolen."

The bookkeeper set down a box of books and leaned against them. His eyes met mine for a brief instant then hardened. "Those creatures, or whatever they are, are in every city. People had the brilliant idea to get out." He sighed. "But those things have infested every small town down to the tiniest campsite." The bookkeeper paused and sighed again. "Assuming that you aren't playing me for the fool, and really don't know what's going on, I recommend you get inside. Do not look out the windows. And for the love of god, don't help the poor idiots who get caught."

I gripped the edges of the counter and fought back nausea. "How long has this been happening?"

"About two months, give or take a day or two."

Then there was a chance. The Cirque Du Freak could still have survived. The only problem was remembering where their route would have taken them, had they stayed on course. I was tempted to call Debbie's phone, but the knowledge that they probably thought I was dead held me back. I would be taken as a prank call, a cruel joke. It would be better to arrive unseen and assess what was going on first.

"Could I sleep here tonight?" I asked on a whim. "I have no money. And-"I looked out the window where shadows crept up the sidewalk. "It's getting dark."

The bookkeeper hesitated. "Turn out your pockets."

I did so, scattering three quarters, the pocket knife and the picture of Debbie on the counter-top. I regretted throwing away the credit cards, but purchases to Debbie's account would be tracked and I couldn't take any chances.

The bookkeeper snatched up the pocket knife. "I'll return this in the morning." He picked up the picture and studied it. "Is this your girlfriend?"

I smiled sadly. "Yes. Or she was. I'm trying to find her again."

"Why did you leave her?"

It was my turn to hesitate. "I was sick, very sick. I didn't want her to watch me die so I left."

"Well you survived," the bookkeeper said gruffly.

I grimaced. "Yes, I did which was a surprise."

The bookkeeper returned my change and picture. "You can kip here for the night, but get used to the floor. My house is upstairs. Ill bring you a pillow, blanket and some soup."

"Food?" I said breathlessly and was rewarded with a faint smile from the man.

I waited until the last rays of sunlight vanished and the glow of streetlamps lit up before the bookkeeper returned with a bundle under one arm and a bag in the other hand. "This should last you until the morning," he said and set down his load. "Goodnight."

"Thanks!" I called to the mans retreating back. After he was asleep, I would sneak in and take the blood I needed.

I opened the bag after spreading the blankets out behind a shelf, out of sight of the windows. Inside the bag was a water bottle with chunks of ice floating inside, a cup of microwave soup and an apple. It took all of two minutes to eat and then I leaned against the shelves, studying the street light glow.

Then I saw it. Something scurrying in the shadows on the other side of the street. It carefully avoided the lights and each time I caught a glimpse of the thing, it was a little bit closer; In the middle of the street. Behind the curb in front of the shop. Hiding behind the trashcans right outside the front window. Each time it appeared I squinted, trying to make out more then four legs and a squat, round body. But it moved too fast.

The next second I yelled in shock and leapt backward, hitting my back on the bookshelves. The creature had leapt at the window and was scrabbling at the glass, leaving score marks in the pane. Wicked looking claws curved out of paws that looked far too big for the creature. It was jet black, with tiny gray marks dotting its sides. Strangely enough, it was smaller then the what dog walker had made it out to be. No bigger then a small cat, the thing paced outside, watching me with beady red eyes. Pure hatred resided in those orbs and the longer I looked at it the harder it was to tear my gaze away. I fumbled in the bag again and pulled out a flashlight; waving it wildly at the thing. It screeched a sound that ripped into my eardrums and vanished. I decided to leave the flashlight on after that.

For a few hours after everything was quiet, and I debated going upstairs when I saw something else creeping out of the shadows. First it was the cat sized creature that was looking rather pissed off. It turned and made a strange, eerie noise that sent a shudder down my spine.

"Crap," I said when I saw what the thing had brought along. "You have a friend."

The second monster melting out of the shadows was no kitten. The thing was a rippling mass, shadows moving over its form like a river on a dark night. When it leaned against the window, it was the size of a mastiff. It pulled back lips (if you could even call them lips) and growled at me, its breath staining clouds on the window. The smaller monster sat between its legs with a smug expression. I pulled back my lips and growled back, a gesture I quickly stopped, appalled at myself.

I left the flashlight pointing at the two creatures, who watched me as I picked the lock on the door and slipped upstairs. The stairs were dark, and I thought about the monsters downstairs. Could they break through glass? Would they be sneaking up behind me right now waiting to drag me screaming out of the shop? I jumped when the stairs creaked.

The bookkeepers' bedroom was at the end of the hallway and I gently pushed open the door. The old man was laying sprawled on his bed, his hair gently ruffling in a breeze coming from the open window behind his pillow. He was fast asleep. The corners of my mouth crooked up at how silly the man looked in his robes, with a book still clutched in his hands.

I made a small cut in the mans leg and drank quickly, sealing the wound with spit. But when I raised my head, wiping blood from my lips I came to a sudden and horrifying realization. The open window.

I turned around just in time to see the cat creature leaping for my throat. I ducked, snatched the book out of the mans hands and batted the creature away. It hit the wall with a splat and slid down, letting out a croak. '_At least they can be hit_', I thought vindictively.

The old man sat up in bed with a startled cry, narrowly missing the creatures' second lunge. It skidded over the blanket and crawled under the bed. I leapt up onto the bed and stared down at the floor.

"What the hell are you doing up here?" The bookkeeper cried enraged. His face was pale.

"I thought I heard a noise," I panted. I reached over and slammed the window shut. "Why did you open this?"

The man looked confused. "I didn't. I mean… I can't remember anymore." He scratched his head. "I thought that was a dream."

I pointed to the floor below us. "Well that thing under there is not a dream. And it's got a big friend somewhere outside." Faster then a snake I lunged to the bedside table where my pocket knife rested. I pulled back right before a black paw batted at me. "Tell me everything you know about those things," I ordered unsheathing the knife. The tiny four inch blade seemed pathetic. I removed my shoes and began to pull out the laces.

"They hate light; they come in different sizes as you already know. The smallest is chipmunk size; the largest on record was the size of a horse." The bookkeeper scanned his floor, clenching and unclenching his fists. "And they can twist your mind. Get inside your dreams and turn even the most pleasant ones into nightmares."

I set aside the lace less shoes and began to form the laces into a noose. "Alright. Who made them?" As an afterthought I added: "Why isn't the one under us attacking right now? It seemed feral when I saw it last."

The bookkeeper shook his head. "No one knows who created them." He looked down at the bed sheet. "If you saw it feral, it wanted you too see it like that. They are cunning, and are not beasts, though they look like it."

I nodded and tied the last knot. "Stay up here and don't move." I grinned. "Unless you're running." I dropped my shoe on the floor and dangled the noose over the side of the bed. A black paw darted out from under it and I lashed out. I grabbed the paw, letting out a howl of pain when the razor claws sliced open my palm. The noose slid around the leg and I yanked it tight. Then with a furious yank, driven by vampire strength I pulled. The creature flew out from under the bed and hit the wall again. It whirled around spitting angrily and leaped. I knocked it aside with the flat of my arm and leaped after it. The sheer exhilaration was unbelievable. It had been so long since I'd last fought and the feeling was wonderful.

The creature quickly reorganized itself and I took the time to wrap the end of the lace around my arm. For a brief moment we faced each other and then as if on a cue we jumped. Our bodies slammed into each other with shattering force and moments passed where I knew nothing but slashing claws and the flying of books and furniture. I felt stronger then before I'd died; I wondered if I had become a full vampire while I was lying in the sewers but shook that thought off. If I was, the sunlight would have burnt me when I climbed out of the sewers.

I pinned the shadow creature below my body and flicked open the pocket knife, driving the blade into the things side. It squealed and then I sank to the floor, grasping nothing but air. Pain shot up and down my back. I roared and rolled over, scattering blood across the room. The creature clung to my back, slicing into the tender flesh along my shoulder blades. Each pass along my skin grew closer and closer to my throat. I keened in pain and the world tilted dangerously.

"GET THE HELL OFF HIM!" The bookkeeper roared and swung a heavy dictionary at my back. It connected and the creature and I went two different directions. I fell to the floor, diving face first into heavy shag carpet and the creature shot under the bed again. I whipped around and snarled at the forbidding darkness under the bed.  
Blood dripped from my back and ran in rivulets down my arms, but I ignored the pain and slid under the bed. I grabbed the beast by the haunches and without thinking sank my teeth into the inky blackness. Our struggles dislodged the bed and I heard the bookkeeper jump out of the way to avoid being slammed against the wall by it. My nails raked across its back, repaying all the injures I now suffered.

"Open the window!" I screamed.

The bookkeeper scrambled to obey and milliseconds after he did, I threw the creature out. It landed on the street in a heap. I swayed but stayed to watch it, as it turned back once to gaze up at the window where I stood. Its eyes narrowed then it apparently decided not to push it and limped down the street.

I turned around and took in the destroyed room; the chairs, side table and bed were all crushed and blood, both black and red spattered the carpet and walls. The bookkeeper stood by the window, one hand still on the lock. He looked absolutely terrified and excited.

"I've heard of a group who knows how to drive them away," he sputtered. "But-but, seeing it…" He sank onto the remains of his bed.

I shrugged and winced. "Do you have any bandages?" I thought ruefully '_I'm_ _going to have plenty of new scars to explain_.'

The bookkeeper stood up and ran into his bathroom.

"Does that group have a name?" I asked after the man returned.

The bookkeeper refused to answer until he had helped me wrap up my back and made me lean against the wall with several blankets.

"Yes," he said. "I believe they call themselves the Cirque Du Freak."

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A.N. R&amp;R please! Reviews make my day :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak. (Sadly)

A.N. Thank you again for the reviews! : D If you notice any glaringly obvious mistakes please tell me. I'm still getting used to the formatting and things sometimes get mixed up. :p

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When dawn broke, both the bookkeeper (who I had learned was named Kurt) and I sagged with relief. Kurt had brought up more soup around 4 and we gave up any pretense of trying to sleep. He told me all he knew about the Cirque Du Freak, which albeit wasn't much but I hungered for any information. He only knew they traveled from city to city, usually staying in campsites or forests. The members he had heard of were two magicians, and a number of odd people with strange conditions, one of which had scales for skin. At this I grinned widely and the wounds in my back seemed to become a little less important.

"Kurt," I said after watching the sun rise. "Do you know where the Cirque was last sighted?"

Kurt turned to me with one eyebrow raised. "Your girlfriend is one of them isn't she?"

I nodded.

"Is she like the others, or is she normal?"

"That depends on your definition of normal," I laughed. "She is a wicked fighter and is the most beautiful person I have ever met. But she is most definitely human."

Kurt studied me attentively. "Are you human Darren?" He didn't look afraid, just mildly curious.

"No," I said after a long pause. "Not entirely."

"I figured," Kurt said, not missing a beat. "The way you fought last night looked impossible for a human to match." He went to the window and opened it, sticking his head out into the chilly air. Several people across the street were doing the same. Kurt helped me upright and we waved to the others.

"The last place I heard the Cirque had been too was a small town about fifty miles away," Kurt said. "But there was a huge attack there last week. Hundreds were taken and I don't think even your friends could have withstood that." His face betrayed how much he wanted to learn of the camp.

I swallowed hard, and gripped the window sill. "You don't know them," I said firmly. "They have faced things most humans couldn't have dreamed of."

"This is war," Kurt said gently. "You cannot expect there to be no casualties."

I spun around and pushed the man against the wall. "I have seen war. I was in one that ninety percent of the world never knew existed. I watched friends bleed and die." I snatched my hand back and stepped away. "There are beautiful and terrible things at the Cirque Du Freak. Most of us have suffered because of what we are."

Kurt didn't move from where I had slammed him against the wall. "What are you? What are your friends?"

"Buy a ticket sometime," I said quietly. "Come see our show." I put on a mock bow and swept my hands in the air, doing a half spin. "Come meet Darren Shan and his amazing performing spider. Pet the Wolfman and meet the Bearded Lady and her assistant the Snake Boy!" I leaned into Kurt's face, whispering. "This show is not for the faint of heart. We will woo you with tales of horror and magic." I smiled wistfully. "Those were the good days."

"If we get out of this," Kurt said. "Will you call me? I would love to see a good show." His eyes twinkled. "Especially the spider act."

I grinned. "Of course." My face saddened. "But it's time for me to go now."

Kurt clapped me on the back and winced when I let out a yelp of pain. "Sorry!" He maneuvered me back on the bed we had shoved back in place hours ago and made a sitting motion. "Stay at least for lunch. I want to give you a few things."

When I parted ways with Kurt at the entrance to his bookshop I had a full backpack, a new shirt and a book. Inside the front cover of _Oliver Twist, _Kurt had penned his name and number in looping scrawl. I stopped on the sidewalk, raising a hand to the man who nodded shortly.

"I will call you," I promised. "We will win this war."

Kurt bowed gracefully and I felt a pang deep inside. Without another word, we turned and went our separate ways. _'No goodbyes'_, I thought harshly, '_because we will see each other again.'_

I strode down the street; backpack slung over one shoulder and unfolded the map Kurt had given me. Inside, penciled in a red line was the route to the last known location of the Cirque. I rubbed the picture of Debbie tucked deep into a pocket and glared into the sun. Not even the possibility of Mr. Tiny being there was going to keep me away.

_ 'Almost 6 hours until sundown_,' I thought with a grimace. '_I wonder how far I can get._ '

I walked for three hours and was well into the country before I spotted a car idling in a ditch. The owner was nowhere in sight. I jumped into the pit and pushed. The car came out easily and I jumped inside, setting the backpack on the passengers' seat and _Oliver Twist_ on the dashboard. I turned up the radio and pulled onto the road, shaking out the tenseness in my hands. The car was well used and every few miles it sputtered dangerously. I pulled out a bag of goldfish that Kurt had stuck in the backpack and ate quietly. Clouds gathered in the distance, and I hoped there wouldn't be any snow that night.

My wishes were not to be granted. Only half an hour later snow began to fall with a vengeance and the road was quickly obscured. I thought about stopping, but the idea of being trapped in a rundown vehicle at night kept my foot on the gas. The windshield wipers flew back and forth, giving away faint images of the terrain before the snow closed in. The road dipped suddenly and I scattered goldfish across the seats, clamping down on the steering wheel. A clunking sound on the top of the car made me jerk and the car slid in a tailspin across the road. It bumped into a small tree with an ugly crunch. I was knocked sideways into the door and my cheek pressed against the cold glass. A black face with red eyes looked back at me. I yelled and slammed on the glass, beeping the horn until my ears burned. I spun the wheels in the snow for a full minute before they gained purchase and I shot back onto the road. Looking in the rearview mirror, I could see nothing but swirling snow. I looked back at the road and slammed on the brakes.

But it was too late. I ran over the creature sitting in the middle of the road with a bump. It was the small, cat creature from last night. When I turned and looked out the window, I saw it looking at me with a baleful expression. Apparently it hadn't liked being thrown out a window. '_Or run over by a Toyota,' _I thought ruefully. There was something different about it, but I couldn't place what it was. Maybe the red eyes weren't quite as piercing? Or maybe the shadows blanketing the thing looked fainter, and less sinister? Whatever the cause, I sure wasn't going to stick around and wait for the creatures' revenge.

I drove as fast as the little car could go without sliding across the road. When I next looked out the window, a pack of shadow creatures were keeping pace with the car. They looked to be about the size of wolves, and when I acknowledged that they were there, the pack leader snarled and the entire group faded back into the snow.

Nervously, I ate more goldfish.

The car wasn't going to last at this rate. Bumps from small debris (or creatures) hit the fenders, sides and wheels until I thought that we were simply going to collapse in a heap of ruined metal. When I saw the motel sign, I choked on the last handful of goldfish and swerved toward it. The tiny creature flew over the windshield, hissing and vanished under the tires. When I looked up I gulped: Claw marks riddled the ceiling, some almost breaking through. The car hit the parking lot and I sailed over the curb, crunching on the plowed pavement. The front doors looked so close, and yet so far. My back burned and when I reached back to touch it, my hands came away dotted with blood. It was a good thing Kurt had packed extra bandages.

I hit the brakes feet from the front entrance and shoved the book back into the pack. I hugged it to my chest like a shield and threw open the car door before my nerves broke completely. The cat creature was nowhere to be seen. I shot out and dove around the hood of the car, coming face to face with a Doberman sized creature. It growled and in a last ditch effort, I threw a couple goldfish at it. Amazingly the thing paused to scoop up the snacks. I yanked on the motel doors and pulled them open, ducking inside and shutting them seconds before the creature lunged. It hit the doors and the glass shuddered, but the light inside drove it back.

I turned around and saw the receptionist. Her mouth was hanging open and a bottle of scotch was clutched in one hand. I went up to the desk and set a wallet on the counter, ignoring the sounds from outside. It sounded like the car wasn't going to be around in the morning. "Sorry about that," I said. "I had a bit of trouble on the way."

The receptionist said nothing, but her mouth shut with a click and the bottle of scotch slipped from her fingers.

I darted over the counter and scooped it up before it could shatter. "Could I get a room for one night please?"

I handed over the appropriate money and was given a key.

"How did you survive?" The receptionist asked tentatively.

I shrugged. "Apparently they like goldfish."

The hotel room was small, but well lit and comfortable. I sank onto the bed after taking a hot shower and sighed. The medicine Kurt had put into the bag, mixed with my healing spit had taken all the pain away and replaced it with drowsiness. But I forced myself to get up and take a full inventory of what Kurt had put into the backpack. I laid it all out and made a mental checklist.

Two rolls of bandages.

Two bags of goldfish, (but I had already eaten one)

A spare change of clothing.

My pocketknife.

A pre-paid cell phone.

Two hundred and fifty dollars.

Several coupons from numerous fast food restaurants.

A tube of salve.

_Oliver Twist. _

Gloves.

The last object was tucked deep inside and when I pulled it out I let out a gasp of surprise. A loaded shotgun, complete with a box of ammo.

I cut the fingers off the gloves, making sure my razor sharp nails were free to fight with. The gun I put under my pillow, checking several times to make sure the safety was on. The rest went back into the pack, minus _Oliver Twist_. I settled on the bed and opened the book to the first chapter, quickly loosing myself to the orphan's world.

"_Darren…my son...come give your father a hug!" _

I sat up with a gasp, the book slipping from between sweaty fingers. Sun streamed through the windows. The haunting voice echoed through my thoughts while I took another, brutally hot shower. I slammed the back onto my back hard enough to make my eyes water and slammed the door, trying hard not to think about Mr. Tiny. The vending machine took the brunt of my anger until I had bought several bags of chips and twizzlers. When I went back downstairs and checked out, it was a different receptionist that took the key. The new woman kept flicking her eyes to the door. When she looked at me it was clear that my ugly mood was written all over my face.

"Did you hear?" She asked eagerly. She had the look of a woman with a juicy piece of gossip.

"About what?" I asked, pretending to be interested while I shifted from foot to foot impatiently.

"The idiot who came here after dark." She snorted. "He won't be leaving in that wreck, that's for sure."

I quickly went to the front door and gasped. My car was a twisted, unrecognizable heap of metal. The tires were gone, the hood and trunk had been ripped off and claw marks covered the rest. I stuck my head back inside the door. "Where is everyone else parked?" I asked innocently.

"Around back," the receptionist said distractedly.

I sighed.

The car I ended up with was a red pickup, in much better condition. _'If I keep getting upgrades in transportation, I could end up with a Ferrari,'_ I thought sarcastically and pulled out of the parking lot, unfolding the map once again. I was surprised to see a print in the middle of the map, a little ways from the end of my route. It looked like a cats print, but the toes were smudged. Even as I watched the print melted off page, sliding into the shadows made by my knee. I hurriedly grabbed a pen from the cup holder and circled the place where the print had been. _'It could mean nothing.'_ I thought. '_Or it could mean everything.' _

I popped a handful of goldfish into my mouth and drove down the road.

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A.N. R&amp;R please! : )


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N. I do not own Cirque Du Freak. **

I have been trying to come up with a good name for the little "monster", but can't think of a good one. Any suggestions?

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**Flashback **

_The pain was unimaginable. Mr. Tiny floated in a world of green haze, thrashing blindly. His entire body burned red hot until he wondered if he would simply burst from the pressure building inside him. Memory upon memory was pushed into his mind, replays of his entire past. But this time he felt the emotion behind him. He felt the pain of every life manipulated into destruction. Darren and Steve featured most prominently. He watched them as boys, growing into teenagers until the day he whispered into Darren's ear and ended their lives. The scenes after that he knew perfectly, but the horror he felt in his newly human heart nearly broke him. _

_Right before Mr. Tiny broke the fog lifted and he fell onto soft dewy grass. He clawed the ground, seeking respite from the surge of emotions but they kept coming. He groaned into dirt and rolled onto his back, staring up at the starry sky. They'd lied. His punishers hadn't taken the feelings away afterward. _

_When the pain subsided enough to move Mr. Tiny raised his head, nausea churning his stomach. He was lying just inside a clearing. Trailers were parked in a half circle, and shadowy forms of people weaved among them. Music filtered into his hearing, a fast tune well beyond any humans' ability to play. He recognized the style of music and faint smile touched his lips. _

_Feeling every bit his age he slowly got up and tried to put on a blank mask as he made his way unsteadily toward the Cirque Du Freak. _

_But inside he was a mess of guilt and shame. _

**End Flashback **

By the fourth day, I was resigned to being stalked by an invisible monster. I never saw the creature, but each day the paper looked a little more worn down. It had acquired a collection of bite marks along the border, and the western half of the state was obscured by paw prints.

The only unmarked place was the route I was following, and the little area I'd circled with pen. I was also on the fourth car. Each one previous had been reduced to a hunk of useless metal. The third cars tires had ended up in the shower, on my bed, and sitting in the sink. The second cars steering wheel had been hanging on the doorknob of the hotel room and the third cars rear view mirror had mysteriously replaced the alarm clock. Tiny paw prints decorated each of the new additions. Now when I passed any hotel, I found myself checking to make sure there were plenty of cars in the parking lot.

I never saw the little creature, but each morning the windows would be wide open. I questioned briefly how the thing had managed to roll tires up the side of a building, but by early the next morning I no longer put too much thought into it. Part of me couldn't wait until tomorrow morning when I would wake up to find something else. I would be sad to see the car I was in now be destroyed. It was white, gleaming and stunning. I stroked the leather seats and grumbled. "I'm going to wake up and see the gas tank sitting in the toilet."

I didn't fear the thing anymore. Each night it had left me unscathed, and though it could have been warming up to something worse, I thought that the acts from the past nights had been more impish then menacing. I had clearly offended it by running it over and it seemed that this was its revenge. The creature playing tricks in the night was a far cry from the growling, feral thing at Kurt's house. I rolled down the windows and didn't think once that the creature wouldn't be watching and listening.

"Maybe being thrown out a window was good for the soul!" I called mischievously and rolled up the window very, very fast. When no immediate retaliation happened, I relaxed. '_A perfect pet for a Vampire', _I thought amused._ 'Afraid of the light._' As an afterthought I rolled down the window a crack and threw three goldfish out the window.' Early this morning, I'd gone to a grocery store and bought three bags of goldfish. I knew the creature loved goldfish, because each morning the bag I'd packed away would be a little emptier.

I pulled into an empty gas station and got out. Almost immediately I groaned. Deep claw marks ran down the side of the car. Apparently the little creature had taken advantage of the darkness under the last bridge. One goldfish was stuck into the deepest mark. I felt slightly ashamed at taunting the creature and filled up the tank quickly; pausing only to tuck a large handful of snacks in a dark corner, ignoring the odd looks from a woman just getting out of her car.

The closer I got to the Cirque Du Freak, the more nerves jumped in my chest until I felt the steering wheel crunch. Alarmed I released the death grip and the car skidded a few feet. I pulled it back in line and shuddered. Would Mr. Tiny try to kill me on sight for ruining his plans? If Evanna was there, she might be able to delay him for a short time, but I doubted anyone could stop Mr. Tiny if he was bent on murdering someone. For a brief instant I had the hilarious thought to park a car in front of his trailer and let the monster do its work. But no, that would only anger the man even more. I fingered the cheap cell phone and flipped it open and shut repeatedly. It was still going to be one more day before I reached the end of the route and I didn't know for sure if the Cirque would be there, or if they had even survived. Several times I half dialed Debbie's number and then hit the end button, shutting the phone with force. I wasn't close enough.

Most of the towns I passed through were deserted, save the few lonely shoppers. There was no sign of increased police activity which I thought was odd. If creatures were taking people, I thought the police would be patrolling. Then I mentally smacked myself. The things only came out at night. '_But still…_'I mused. '_Wouldn't they be watching other dark places? My tiny stalker scratched the car under a bridge!_'

I was distracted by a man pulling up next to me on the road. He was waving his hands in dramatic sweeping motions, obviously trying to get my attention. I pressed the button until the window was halfway down. Most of the other people I'd met were reserved, eager to finish their business and move on. In the more rundown towns, I could tell life had taken a turn for the worst.

"What?" I asked warily. There were no scars on the strangers' fingertips and no V shaved into his head, but something put me on guard.

"Do you know how much further it is until the next exit?" the man asked. "I think I might run out of gas."

My eyes flicked to the backseat window. Sitting there was a woman, about twenty. Our eyes met and she bit her lip, eyes shining with fear. My eyes shot down to her hands and back to her face.

"About six miles or so," I said finally. "I can give you a couple gallons if you need it?"

The man grinned. "That would be very nice." He sped up and pulled over to the side. I did so too, making sure to keep the front of my car slightly ahead. I got out and again studied the woman. She had made no attempt to get out and stretch her legs, and given by the strangers back popping they had been driving for quite some time. I stood in front of her door and opened my gas tank door, asking straightforwardly. "Is that your girlfriend?"

The man snorted. "Hardly." He brought out the tubes. "You have been wandering around for awhile?" He asked abruptly.

"Yes," I said. "Run into a few odd things here and there."

"Tell me about it." The man let out a few choice curse words and spat on the ground. "People have to do what they have to in order to survive," he said. "Agree?" His eyes grew flinty.

"I agree to a point," I said coolly, using the sound of my voice to mask the sound of me unlatching the woman's door. "But I think tying anyone up is past the limit."

The man scowled and faster then I expected snatched a knife out of his jacket. I leaned back to avoid the first pass and jumped backwards, clearing the car roof and landing in a half crouch on the other side. The man came barreling around and I gestured to the woman to run. She did so, awkwardly catching herself on the door and ran toward my car. I snapped up a hand and hit the man in the chest with my palm. He let out a gust of air and crumpled to the ground. My boot breaking his arm with a sickening snap ended the hold on the knife.

"What were you going to do with her?" I roared, hauling the man up by his collar. I slammed him into the car, ignoring his grunt of pain. "Tell me!"

The man said nothing.

I gripped his finger and bent back until the stranger curved in on himself. "Stop!" He screamed. "She is my daughter!" He made a show of bravado. "And you sir will be charged with assault!"

I sneered. "And I'm sure your daughter will be keen to tell the police all about the rope you tied her up with."

"She was a useless bag of bones. Just another mouth to feed!" The man hissed. "I was going to get something out of her at least."

I stared, sickened. "You mean-"

"No you idiot. I was going to make an offering."

I gaped, lost for words.

"Those creatures need pacifying. If I give them a gift, maybe they will leave me alone."

I brought back my fist to punch him in the jaw with enough force to render him brain dead when a soft voice spoke up. "No!"

I paused and looked back. The woman was sitting in my passenger seat, face pale and wane. "Please don't kill him," she said. "He is a bastard, but I don't want to watch him die."

I lowered my hand and snarled. "It's a good thing your daughter still holds a bit of love for you." I shook the man once and shoved him headfirst through the window. I stalked around the front of the car and asked: "Do you want a ride?"

"Without even knowing each others names?" the girl asked.

I smiled. "I suppose that would help. I'm Darren. Darren Shan."

"Cassie Mills," the woman said fake pompously.

"Step away from the car," A dark voice said. "Cassie get back in the car. NOW."

I turned around slowly and came face to face with the barrel of a rifle. The man backed up until he was a few feet away and gestured angrily to his daughter. "Get in the car, or I will shoot him."

"Father please."

Cassie made to get up when I saw it. A lithe piece of shadow, curving under the car; It paused under the fender and incredulously I watched the cat-creature wriggle its butt and leap at the man. It connected at the same time the rifle went off. I watched the bullet fly toward me in slow motion. Oddly, it seemed like I had plenty of time to dodge. The bullet hit the back window right after I ducked.

I straightened in time to see the mans feet disappearing into the tall grass by the side of the road. A trail of blood and the fallen rifle was all that was left. I unloaded the gun and tossed it aside.  
"Was that one of those things? Cassie asked in shock.

"Yes," I said and slid into the drivers' seat.

"It looked different."

I could tell Cassie wanted to discuss anything but the events of a few seconds ago. "How so?" I asked and put the car into gear, driving back onto the road.

"It had a gold stripe," she said. "From here," she traced a spot on her shoulder and ran a line down to her waist. "To here."

"Maybe its turning colors from all the junk food," I said. But I was curious too. That was the first time I had seen it out in daylight, and even though it had been out in the sun for barely thirty seconds it had still made an appearance.

Cassie gave me an odd look but it appeared any desire for conversation had evaporated.

At the next exit, I apologized for not being able to lend any money. Cassie waved me off.

"I have all my families numbers memorized," she said. "One of them will come get me."

I nodded and pulled away, looking in the rear view mirror several times. When I was more then alone, I scrounged in the backpack for some goldfish and dropped them out the window as I went under another bridge. It wasn't much of a thank you, but at the moment it was all I could offer the little creature.

I almost drove into a sign when I heard a noise in the backseat and turned to see the cat-creature sitting on the leather cushions, happily shredding them into oblivion. The goldfish I had given it was set neatly in the cup holder.

"What am I going to do with you?" I asked. "You know I have to sleep in here tonight."

The cat-creature stretched lazily and deftly scooped up the snacks in its mouth, wriggling under the seat covers.

* * *

A.N. R&amp;R please : D


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Cirque Du Freak.

A.N. I cant tell you all enough how much the reviews mean to me! They keep me writing, knowing that you like the story.

* * *

At midday the next day, I pulled onto the side of the road and slumped forward. I had been up and down all the back streets and walked through all the places were the Cirque might have camped. But the Cirque Du Freak or any members belonging to it were nowhere to be found. For a brief moment half an hour ago, someone thought they had recognized the picture of Debbie, but then decided they were mistaking her for their neighbor. (Who had lived there for almost four years, so it couldn't have been her)  
Even the cat-creature who I had recently named Imoo was subdued. He had wriggled out from the seats halfway through the search and melted into the shadows, and hadn't reappeared until moments ago. The thing looked up at me from the passenger's seat and made a strangled noise that wasn't quite a mew. Most of the morning it had been making the sounds and each time it came closer to a pathetic mewl.

"Any suggestions?" I asked the monster dejectedly. It made that strange noise again and poked the shreds of the map. In a fit of frustration I had ripped the map up. "They are probably hundreds of miles away by now."

The cat nudged the empty bag of goldfish toward me and blinked huge red eyes imploringly. When I ignored it, it hissed angrily and dug claws into the bag, reducing it to strips of crumby paper and jumped out the open window. I got out of the car and slammed the door so hard the hinge snapped. My back pack was swung roughly over one shoulder and I stuffed the last few bandages into a pocket. My back was almost healed, but each twinge sent more anger roiling inside me until I wanted to scream.

I stomped down the road for several miles until I entered town. I stood on the sidewalk for a few minutes, head swiveling to and fro. I was startled at the sheer number of people walking up and down the road; entering shops and talking in small groups. It was a far cry from the deserted towns I'd passed through before. All of them looked tired and worn, but small smiles curved most of their lips. I also noticed guns strapped to about a quarter of the waists passing by.

"Excuse me," I said reaching out to a red-haired woman walking by with a stroller. I gestured to all the people. "What is going on?"

The woman eyed me suspiciously for a moment then her expression brightened. "It's around noon. That is the safest time to be out. And the Cirque Du Freak is somewhere close by. They have been dispatching those things left and right!" She grinned. "My youngest son hasn't been to the playground in weeks. That's where I am heading right now."

My heart soared and the next words came out stuttering. "W-where are they?" I asked hungrily.

The woman shrugged and shushed the toddler in the stroller. "No idea. I heard they are using cloaking devices on the camp. Sometimes a few of them come into town for supplies though," she said thoughtfully. "I suppose someone would have tried to follow them by now, but I never heard about anyone trying."

"What do the people who come into town look like?" I asked.

"Well…let me think," the woman said. "Usually its two men and two women: A fat man with green rain boots, a boy with a hoodie, a young women with dark hair and another older woman. Other times it's a different set of people, but that's rare." She shrugged helplessly. "I can't tell you anymore then that."

"Thank you!" I said. "You have no idea how much that helps." I spun around and dashed across the street.

Shops lined the road on both sides, and a park lay at the other end of the street. I kept a close eye out for Harkats' distinctive limp or a flash of green boots, but nothing appeared. Several times I stopped and leaned against a shop window, checking discreetly behind me to make sure I wasn't being followed. I took advantage of the crowds and slipped two wallets out of their owners' pockets, taking half the money from each and setting them on a table outside a café. Fifty dollars bought me a small ice-cream cone and a plain green hoodie with a growling wolf on the back. I exchanged my shirt for the hoodie in a bathroom and pulled the hood low over my face. I didn't want any Cirque members recognizing me before I saw them; especially Mr. Tiny.

I ate quickly and dodged in and out of shops, admiring small handmade items and baked food. Several times I was stopped by shopkeepers or shoppers and exchanged pleasantries with them before I escaped. One store was giving out thick red twizzlers and I snagged a piece.

At the end of the road was a large grocery store and I walked inside, hurriedly shoving the rest of the candy into my mouth when I entered the automatic doors. A blast of warm air hit me in the face and blew the hood off. I yanked it back into place. Carts and browsing shoppers created an obstacle course that I weaved through, apologizing whenever my backpack nudged a cart or shelf. By the time I reached the back of the store and was gazing up and down the frozen foods isle I felt like I had just won a mini battle. It was quieter back here and I was able to skirt around only three people. From here I could scan about a quarter of the store undisturbed. I narrowed my eyes and peered through the gleaming metal carts; searching, searching for a shock of black hair. Several times I nearly had a heart attack when I spotted someone that looked like Debbie, but sank back against the cold doors each time, disappointed. More then once I watched hoodies bob up and down, but their owners were always completely normal teenagers, not a snake boy or a Little Person hiding his odd complexion.

I shifted off the door before my back went completely numb and walked around the edge of the store, passing bathrooms and several shelves before I heard it. My head cocked and I listened again.

"Debbie doesn't like cheerios," a stubborn voice said. "She told me they are the most disgusting things ever created." It was Harkat. His stubbornly human, yet not human voice that he had spent months working on. Whoever he was talking to didn't respond. I peered around the shelf, nearly taking a box of cereal with me and my jaw dropped. Evanna and Harkat were studying a box of cereal intently. I guessed it was the offensive cheerios by the look on Harkats face. Harkat had abandoned his hood, which was bright neon blue. Evanna wore a tamer, light blue blouse and pants. My heart was doing back lips and I struggled against my better judgment to leap out and scare them half to death.

"Well then what do you suggest?" Evanna asked sarcastically. "Just about every damn person in the Cirque likes a different kind of cereal! They even get offended about brands of bottled water!"

Harkat sniggered. "Just get cheerios for Evra and some of that granola stuff over there for Debbie."

I stepped out from behind the shelves and pretended to browse, keeping my face turned well away from the pair. They both started and stared at me for a moment, but apparently decided I was no threat. I flipped open my cell phone and with trembling hands dialed Debbie's number. Through the walls, in the direction of the bathroom I dimly heard the ringing of a cell phone.

"Hello?"

My throat closed up and all the things I'd planned to say went out the window.

"Uh-oh. Hi," I said lamely.

"Who is this?" Debbie asked sharply. "How did you get this number?"

"I-I…I'm an old friend," I said finally. 'S_he doesn't know my voice_,' I thought.

Debbie said nothing and I listened to her breathing. Water ran and I assumed she was washing her hands. "Are you a vampire?" She asked right before I thought she would hang up.

"Yes," I said, voice breaking a little. "But only half."

I could hear the confusion in Debbie's voice. "I don't know any half vampires," she said.

"You used to," I said helpfully. I couldn't bear to say who I was; it had to be Debbie working it out.

"Are you someone from Vampire Mountain I met when Alice and I first got there?"

"No," I said. "I didn't go with you."

"Where are you?" Debbie asked suspiciously.

"I heard your phone ringing when I called," I said and immediately regretted it. That had sounded a lot less creepy in my head. To cover up that, I said quickly: "You don't know my voice?"

Debbie was silent for a long time. Then: "It can't be." Her next words made me hold the phone away from my ear, gaining a strange look from Harkat and Evanna who were still battling. "DARREN?"

"Yes," I said slowly. "It's me."

"YOU DIED. VANCHA CAME AND TOLD US WHAT HAPPENED. YOU FELL IN A RIVER WITH STAB WOUNDS IN YOUR STOMACH. THAT WAS TWO DAMN MONTHS AGO!"

"I know," I said apologetically. "I didn't die. Or at least I don't think so." I hesitated. "I woke up in the sewers five days ago."

"Get in the girls bathroom right now." The connection died.

I ran toward the bathroom, shoving my phone into a pocket. When I swung open the door with the flat of my hand an arm ducked around my throat and pulled me into the bathroom. I thought Debbie would let go but she yanked me into a stall and latched the door. I almost laughed.

"Why did you come to my home town when you first met me?" Debbie hissed. I felt the point of a knife digging into the small of my back.

"Because a vampaneze named Murlough had gone insane," I said. "Mr. Crepsley and I tricked and killed him." I added: "And I climbed up the wall to kiss you."

Debbie released me and I turned around. For a heart stopping moment I thought she was still going to stab me.

"Do you know everything?" I asked hesitantly. "Did Vancha-?"

"Did Vancha tell us that you and Steve were Mr. Tiny's sons? Yes he did," Debbie said shortly.

I swallowed. "Do you hate me now?" I asked.

"No you idiot," Debbie said and pecked me on the cheek.

I grabbed her in a hug and squeezed until she let out a muffled squeak. "Sorry!" I muttered and released her.

"You know Darren at the most it's only been about a week and a half since you last saw me, if you were unconscious for two months." Debbie kept staring at me like I was a ghost. Her eyes shone with tears and her hand came up and traced my cheek, jaw and the wolf pattern on the hoodie.

"I know," I said. "But something in here," I touched my heart. "Knows I have been gone for much longer that and I can feel it."

Debbie suddenly snapped back into her usual business like self. "Have you drunk any blood?" She asked smartly.

I nodded. "Ill tell you about that later. It's a story in itself!" My smile faded. "Why is Mr. Tiny still here?" I asked, scowling.

Debbie frowned then shook her head. "You wouldn't know would you?"

"Know what?" I asked angrily.

"He was punished," Debbie said. "He has emotions now Darren."  
I felt no pity for the man whatsoever. "Serves him right," I spat.

Debbie looked like she knew I would say that and continued. "He was forced to relive his life over again in the matter of minutes, watching every horrible thing he has ever done. With emotions."

I blinked. "And just like that he made a complete turn around to being the model of society?" I scowled harder. "How do you even know he told the truth? Maybe he knew I would survive and is waiting to kill me the second we get back."

"Evanna was there when he told us. She knows when people are lying. And Darren," Debbie scuffed the ground with her tennis shoe. "I had never seen Mr. Tiny act like that before. He was a mess. For days he just sat and stared."

I waved that away. "Fine. Who else is here besides you Harkat and Evanna?"

"Mr. Tiny. He is in the cheese section."

I frowned. "The cheese section?"

Debbie looked amused. "After he "recovered" somewhat Mr. Tiny started discovering he actually enjoyed some types of food. Cheeses were one of the big ones. Now whenever we go to the grocery store he has the deli person give him some of every kind. He loves candy too, and apparently he cannot understand how the sucker has so many different flavors."

"Ok," I said completely caught off balance at the thought of Mr. Tiny eating cheese or sucking on a lollypop. "By the way Harkat and Evanna were arguing about cereal."  
Debbie rolled her eyes. "They always argue when we go shopping. Last time it was over pasta shapes."

I suddenly felt a surge of nervousness, so severe I considered running away and never facing my friends. "If-when we go out there, will they all try to interrogate and kill me?" I asked nervously.

Actually taking this into consideration Debbie looked thoughtful. "I don't think Evanna will. She can just look at you and know it's really you. Harkat might, but not if you throw information that only you would know at him. As for Mr. Tiny…no idea."

The room suddenly felt a lot colder. "Evanna looked at me," I said apprehensively "But my hood was up."

Debbie raised an eyebrow. "Then she might already know you're here."

Together we stepped out of the bathroom. I gave a halfhearted step and lurched back toward the bathroom. Debbie grabbed hold of my hand, twining our fingers together. "Come on. I won't let them touch you."

I gave her a weak smile. "What time is it by the way?" I asked.

Debbie checked and her face cleared with relief." We have about one hour and forty-five minutes until dark."

"That's plenty of time," I said. But, knowing the last five days it probably wouldn't be.

We walked out into the store, and headed toward the area where I'd last seen Harkat and Evanna. My stomach had knotted itself and my legs felt like lead weights. Debbie seemed to have gotten over her initial shock, but her eyes kept darting to me every few steps. When we turned the corner I was almost relieved to see they were nowhere in sight. Then from behind us came a high startled voice; and I cursed when I remembered I hadn't put my hood up.

"Darren!"

I spun around, accidently pulling Debbie with me and came face to face with Harkat. His round green eyes gazed up into mine and we stared at each other. Harkat had two new scars on his face, running over the stitches adorning his body but otherwise he looked the same. He flung his arms around me and then punched me in the side. I let out a yelp of pain and folded in a little.

"Ow!" I said. "What was that for?"

"Not showing up before now," Harkat said. He touched me in the same strange way Debbie had, as if making sure I was real.

"I drove as fast as I could," I said and pulled the Little Person up by the back of his robes and hugged him.

"Hello Darren," a cool female voice said.

I dropped Harkat and looked up sharply. Evanna leaned against the shopping cart, her arms folded in a stern glare. "Why didn't you say hello before?"

"I had to talk to Debbie first," I said awkwardly. "Um…" I stopped. How did I talk to her now that I knew she was my half sister?

Evanna straightened and then she was behind me, giving me a quick hug and stepping away before I had time to react. The obvious show of affection from the witch was startling. I noticed with some amusement that Evannas outfit had changed since ten minutes ago. Now she was wearing a red shirt and jeans. A dragon was emblazoned across the shirt and I gaped when it shifted positions. There were new lines around her eyes and mouth but she still had that same mysterious, all knowing aura.

Evanna finished giving me her own examination and sighed. "Mr. Tiny is not going to be expecting this."

The lights flickered suddenly and we all looked at the ceiling in surprise. When they steadied Evanna continued. "Darren, I know you hate him. You have every right to. But things have happened while you were gone and-"

"Debbie told me that he was punished," I interrupted. "And I know about the creatures," I said wryly. "I've already come up close and personal." I reached into my backpack and showed them the tip of the gun.

"How did you survive alone?" Debbie asked, pursing her lips.

"I had some help in the beginning," I said. "I'll tell you more later."

Harkat grinned and clapped me on the back. "Now I won't have to chop wood all by myself," he said in satisfaction.

I grinned back and suppressed a frown. "Should we go get Mr. Tiny?"

Evanna didn't look very happy at being interrupted but she nodded. "Darren I suggest you put up that hood," she said with some reluctance. "While I would very much enjoy Desmond discovering you are alive in public, I doubt that was what you had in mind."

I hurriedly put up the hood and zipped the backpack. "No," I said. "That's definitely not what I want."

In a ragged line we made our way toward the deli counter. Evanna led the way with Debbie and I following, and Harkat in the back. When we got there I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. Debbie had been telling the truth. Mr. Tiny had his own shopping cart and inside was rolls, bags and slices of cheese in varying sized packages. I knew some of the types, but the more I looked the more unfamiliar kinds I saw.

"Desmond!" Evanna called across the crowd. When the meddler looked up she made a gesturing motion with her hand. I studied the man and was surprised by what I saw. Like Evanna there were new lines adorning his face, and he looked much older then the last time I'd seen him. He still wore his customary outfit, and the heart shaped watch dangled by a chain from his belt. He wasn't as fat, and when he turned toward us I saw a gun holster strapped to his waist. His green boots were stained, and when he finally spoke his voice was different. The tone was unchanged, but something was off.

"Yes daughter?" he said. "Is it that time already?" His eyes flicked over me with a faint trace of interest. I gulped. How could I have been so stupid? Evanna knew who I was just by glancing at me. But the man showed no sign of recognizing me and began to ramble about the cheeses he had discovered.

"You're doing it again," Evanna chided gently.

Mr. Tiny abruptly closed his mouth and sighed. "Who knew humans had such a broad array of foods?" He looked willfully at the candy section.

I finally figured out what was off about him. He looked exhausted and it was showing in his voice. I turned slightly and studied the others out of the corner of my eye. Now that I was looking for it I could tell they were tired too. Never before had I seen Mr. Tiny show any signs of tiredness or interest in food for that matter.

"Who is that?" Mr. Tiny finally asked his eyes roving over me. "He seems familiar."

Debbie squeezed my hand. "An old friend," she said pleasantly. "He found out where we were staying and wants to join us."

Mr. Tiny cocked his head. "Can you fight?" He asked. "We have no room or time for those who cannot."

I smirked. "Of course," I said easily. I purposely made my voice much deeper then normal. It was surreal talking to Mr. Tiny when he had no idea of my identity.

"What weapons?" Mr. Tiny asked.

"Short sword or knives," I answered softly. "Hand to hand as well and I can shoot a gun." The prolixity of the man was suffocating and I took a small step backward.

Evanna stepped in. "I think he will do just fine Father."

Harkat chimed into the conversation. "We should get going," he said.

Mr. Tiny looked between the three doubtfully. I could tell he knew something was going on, but either he was too tired to bother figuring out what or he didn't care.

The lights flickered again, this time three times in a row. And then went out all together.

I reacted quickly, pulling out the gun and clicking the safety off. I heard Debbie and Mr. Tiny draw their own guns and hold them up. The darkness was pressing in and strangely, my vampire eyesight did nothing to penetrate the blackness. Startled voices rang out through the darkness and a few calling for everyone to keep calm that "the back up generator" would be running momentarily.

"There is something in here!" A man screamed.

The lights flickered on. I caught a glimpse of a huge dark shape weaving through the shelves, blending into the shadows.

Lights off.

I whipped around and pointed my gun straight out. Debbie's hip pressed into mine and Mr. Tinys shopping cart pressed into my other side.

Lights on.

There was no sign of the animal, but a heart wrenching scream suddenly cut off gave away the monsters position. A pair of feet were slowly dragged behind shelves. Mr. Tiny had shifted, pushing the cart slightly away from himself. The tips of his fingers glowed with red light. Evanna was at our back, and Harkat had began to move away from us, eyes scanning the room.

Lights off.

Another scream, this time a man and then a stampede of people shoved past. I was jostled by elbows, legs and kicked by feet. I lowered the gun and clicked the safety on, to avoid accidently shooting someone in the foot. Debbie was pulled away from me suddenly, and I leapt after her into the fray. I pushed and shoved, growling angrily at the dark shapes.

Lights on.

I caught a quick glimpse of Debbie and reached out for her. Mr. Tiny had vanished. Evanna was trying to get to us through the crowd. Harkat was nowhere to be seen and I pulled Debbie to my chest, straightening up. "HARKAT!" I roared.

Lights off.

I caught a glimpse of ten glowing red dots moving through the air toward the bear-creature. Then a roar, answering my own sounded close by. Much too close. I pulled Debbie down behind the deli counter and counted my own shivering breaths. I put my fingers on Debbie's pulse and reassured myself she was still here.

"We have to shoot it," Debbie whispered, her lips tickling my ear. "Bullets kill most of them, at least for a little while. But a thing this size will need at least three people shooting simultaneously."

"Ok," I whispered back. "We need to find at least one of the others and the creature."

Debbie chuckled. "Hopefully we find them before that thing finds us."

Lights on.

I shot over the counter and crouched on top, scanning the store. People were pounding on the doors, which had somehow locked. Then I saw the bear-creature padding along the back of the store, its huge head swinging back and forth. Harkat was hiding behind one of the shelving units that the bear was heading right for. I waved my arms wildly. "Harkat!" I screamed. "Move your ass!" I drew the gun and fired once, aiming at the bear-creature. It missed completely, but Harkat looked up and I pointed at the bear. "Run!" I screeched.

Harkat leapt away and Evanna suddenly appeared from another area, firing bullet after bullet. Each thundering boom the gun made echoed the lights. On. Off. On. Each time I could see, the thing grew closer and closer. Harkat ran ahead of it, blue ropes flapping behind him. Evanna vanished, leading the monster away and I hopped off the counter. Amazingly my hood was still up.

"We have to help Evanna!" Debbie screamed over the noise.

"I know!" I yelled back. "Where did Mr. Tiny go?"

Debbie shrugged. I pointed the gun ahead of me and followed Evannas trail. I gestured to myself and pointed up; then pointed at Debbie and pointed down the walkway. I leapt up on top of the shelves, stepping carefully over packaged food and kept pace with Debbie as we crept down the hall.

When I looked over the side of a shelf and saw the bear-creature, I made a stopping motion at Debbie. She froze and I lobbed a jar of Nutella at the thing. It looked up, roared and stood on its hind legs to swipe at me. I wobbled, and fell backwards, landing on the isle behind the creature, next to Debbie. I pushed the shelf until the bolts groaned and snapped. I heard metal crunch and then the shelf was falling directly onto the monster.

"Go, go!" I shouted and we ran down another hall, coming up behind the creature just as it freed itself. Together Debbie and I raised our guns and fired.

_Bang, bang, bang. _ The bullets thudded into the creature, making it toss its head. It took a few shuffling steps back and then other. We followed steadily, driving it into the middle of the store. Debbie paused to reload first and then I followed suit.

Mr. Tiny rounded the corner and raised his gun. All three of us fired. The monster bellowed and made one last move. It lunged at me and I ducked, weaving to the side; still firing. My hood slipped. Mr. Tiny looked at me; whether it was to see if I was alright or a chance glance I didn't know but when he saw my face the gun slipped from his fingers and clattered to the ground. He mouthed something but I was too busy ducking another swipe from a huge paw to see what he said.

Harkat raised his gun. I was startled to see him standing on the deli counter like some sort of wild west shooter. His blue robes flapped around him and he looked more dangerous then I had ever seen him before. Together we brought the monster down and I sank to my knees. Mr. Tiny was still standing in the same spot, his face white as snow. In all the days before, I'd imagined saying something snide. But now I could only stare at him as he looked back.

"Darren!" Evanna said. She stopped immediately, seeing the situation.

"How did you survive?" Mr. Tiny asked his voice small.

I opened and closed my mouth. "I-I don't know," I whispered feebly. All the angry, spiteful feelings vanished and while I knew they would return, all I could think about was Mr. Tiny's wide, pained eyes and the fact that I was alive through unknown means.

"Come on," Evanna said eventually. "Lets go home."

'_Home_,' I thought tiredly. '_Yes…its time to go home_.'

* * *

A.N. R&amp;R please! : )


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Cirque Du Freak.

* * *

The ride back to the Cirque Du Freak was a tense affair. Debbie, Harkat, and I spent the time nursing minor injuries while Mr. Tiny and Evanna sat up front, heads bent together in a conversation only they could hear (much to my distinct annoyance). Several times Mr. Tiny looked in the rearview mirror and I caught a glimpse of dark eyes watching me. Each time I spotted him doing this, I sent a glare in the general direction of the front seat.

Harkat sported a nasty gash high on his right arm and he had pulled up the arm of his robes and was dabbing at it with a cloth. Debbie had gained several scratches on her face and a sprained wrist. My boot was off and my swollen, bruised ankle was propped in between the seats. Exhaustion tugged at my eyes until I abandoned looking at Mr. Tiny and leaned back in the seat, closing my eyes.

"Are you sure you drank blood a few days ago?" Harkat asked. "You don't look so good."

I blinked at him sleepily. "Yes, I am absolutely sure," I said.

Debbie leaned across Harkat. "When we get back to the Cirque I'll get Vancha to give you some more."

I nodded and pressed my face to the cool window, watching the forest rush by.

"Darren," Evanna said a few minutes later, startling me out of a daze. "Here." She handed me a small crystal bottle filled with crimson liquid.

I didn't take it. "Where did you get that?" I asked warily.

"From myself," Evanna said calmly.

"I thought that your blood was lethal to vampires."

Evanna nodded. "It is. But since we belong to the same family, that threat no longer applies."

I reluctantly took the bottle and uncorked it. I sniffed it once and downed the blood in one swallow. A tingling buzz ran through my limbs and I stiffened in surprise. The sudden rush of energy made me grab the back of Mr. Tiny's seat and sink my nails into the upholstery until it faded.

Evanna laughed. "You will not need to drink for a long while. Even a small amount of my blood is enough to keep you going for at least a month or two." She raised her eyebrows. "If you had drunk Desmond's blood you would have that energy rush for about fifty years."

I shook my head. "Don't worry, I won't make that mistake."

No longer interested in sleeping, I rolled down the window and stuck my head out, twisting around to look at the road flying by. For some reason I found the patterns extremely fascinating.

From inside the car I heard Harkat ask: "What is he doing?"

Evanna said something in reply, but I didn't listen; I was to busy thinking about the idea of riding on top of the car. I reached back into the car and unrolled the window the rest of the way and slid half my body out of the window. Within seconds I was crouched on top of the car, feeling the cool rumbling metal under my fingertips.

I heard a startled, "Darren!" from inside the car.

I lay down and stuck my head over the side of the car, peering in at Debbie and Harkat. "You have to come up here," I said eagerly.

Debbie just stared at me, but Harkat grinned and clambered over to me. I pulled him out of the car and we both sat on top. The wind rushed over us and I leaned into it until my eyes burned with cold.

"Darren!"

I looked over the side of the car again, this time at the passenger side and saw Evanna looking up at me with an amused look on her face.

"What?" I said mulishly.

"Try not to fall off," the witch said. "Our fathers driving can be a bit…erratic at times." She withdrew and from inside the car I heard a burst of loud laughter. Then the car sped up and I clung to the roof. Harkat held onto my waist and we leaned back and forth. I screamed in terrified delight when the car made a sudden turn.

"Evanna said this would happen," Harkat said.

"Huh?" I said.

"The effect of her blood made you temporarily drunk."

I stared at Harkat for a moment then shrugged. "Oh well," I said carelessly. I spread my arms out and laughed. "It feels like flying."

I didn't even care when a sudden bump sent me and Harkat flying onto the hood where we clung precariously to the windshield wipers. Two seconds later the car stopped and we were both flung away from the car, landing in an untidy heap on the ground. The others got out of the car, but Harkat and I were caught up in a sudden burst of laughter that when they tried to help us up we kept falling back down, giggling. I didn't even mind when Mr. Tiny hauled me up by the back of my shirt and gently shoved me toward Evanna.

"Darren's face!" Harkat howled. "When we flew off!" He dissolved into another round of laughter.

Mr. Tiny looked confused. "What is this?" He asked his daughter.

"I think Darren's ah…condition broke through the stress," Evanna said. "And now it's coming out."

Even Debbie looked like she was holding back amusement. Her lips twitched and when I staggered over to her, intending to kiss on her the cheek but instead tripped over a rock and landed flat on my face she broke down.

"We are nuts," Harkat said after he had gathered himself up. "Completely and utterly insane."

I raised a hand to deny this and then thought better of it.

"Feeling better now?" Evanna asked.

I was about to start laughing again when a mental bucket of cold water crashed over me. I gave her a horrified look.

"Ill take that as a yes," Evanna smirked.

Harkat was still chuckling. "Why did you get on the roof?" He asked.

I tried to think of a valid reason, but failed. "Well, I thought the ground was pretty. And then I looked out the window and thought the sky was even better." I shrugged. "And then, all I wanted to do was fly."

Evanna pulled me upright. "I knew it would make you act a little strange, but I wasn't expecting you to have such a reaction." Her face clouded. "I apologize."

"Don't be sorry," I said quickly. "It was…fun."

Mr. Tiny rubbed his hands together, and for a brief moment I thought I saw his lips twitching in a parody of a smile. Then it was gone and his almost blank, business like face was back. "We are only about fifty feet from the Cirque," he informed the entire group, instead of only me, who was the only one that didn't know.

We walked toward it in a single file line until Mr. Tiny stopped. He brought out his watch and rubbed it once. A rippling wall came into view for a moment and then faded away.

"We have to add you to the wards," Debbie explained. "Just walk up and touch them with both hands."

I paused directly in front of them and looked back. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Debbie said.

I placed both hands on the invisible wall and stiffened. My body froze and before I could panic Mr. Tiny walked around and placed his hands next to mine.

"What is your name?" Mr. Tiny asked.

The words were pulled from my mouth in a monotone. "Darren Shan."

"Do you work for the Lord of The Shadows?"

"No." Now my mind was working overtime. The Lord of the Shadows had been born anyway?

"State your blood status," Mr. Tiny ordered.

"Human, Half Vampire and Magician," I said.

"What are your parents' names?"

"Desmond Tiny and Angela Shan."

Mr. Tiny whispered something and the wards flashed into existence again. A huge dome of red, churning light appeared. The light crept up my hand and I panicked again. When it nearly covered my entire body, except my back Mr. Tiny paused.

"Lift up his shirt," he said.

Evanna did as he asked and gasped.

"Why do you have these marks?" Mr. Tiny asked.

"I fought one of those things the first night I woke up," I said. The feeling of not being able to move, not even to blink was starting to send me into an uncontrollable feeling of suffocation.

"Did you kill it?" Mr. Tiny asked.

"No. I threw it out the window with Kurt's help. I bit it and now we have an understanding. It does wreck every car I drive though, because I ran it over once." The words kept spilling out of my mouth until I wished I could superglue my lips shut. "He likes goldfish. He saved my life and I won't let anyone harm him. He has a gold stripe on his back and is able to go in the light for a short time."

Mr. Tiny coughed and the flow of words stopped. "Where is he now?"

"I don't know."

"Were you aware of the bond you have with the creature?"

"His name is Imoo," I said flatly. "And no."

I heard Evanna chuckle and Mr. Tiny sent her a sideways frown. "I want you to use the bond to call him here."

"I don't know how." I was getting used to what the wards wanted me to say, and adding on my own little bits. "I won't. You will kill him."

"I won't kill him," Mr. Tiny said evenly. "If your bonded creature has changed sides we will merely add him to the wards." He leaned closer and spoke in a stern voice. "I don't care that you don't know how. I want you to call him."

I didn't even have time to process how little sense that made before my vision blurred. '_Imoo', _I found myself thinking_. ' Imoo… come here.' _

"Good," Mr. Tiny said.

Seconds later a shape wound its way around my frozen body and perched on my shoulder. Imoo hissed at Mr. Tiny who merely spoke another whispered word. The light engulfed the little creature who froze as well.

Mr. Tiny went through the same process with Imoo as me, asking its name and blood status. He only got hisses and spits in return, but I guessed he could understand. By now my mind was folding in on itself trying to escape. If I could scream, I would be howling. Tears were stuck behind my eyes and I could feel the bonds tightening around my throat.

"Desmond!" Evanna said. "It's been too long."

Mr. Tiny chanted something, and the light began to recede. Even when it vanished I couldn't move, my arms outstretched and Imoo crouched on my shoulder. When the man spoke another barking word and my body unlocked I let out the harsh scream that had been building for the past twenty minutes. It went on and on until I crumpled to the ground. Imoo buried himself into my shirt, shaking violently. I curled around the creature and moaned.

"Damn," Evanna said. When she touched my shoulder I flinched.

"What did you do?" Debbie screeched at Mr. Tiny.

"Normally adding someone to the wards takes five minutes at worst," Mr. Tiny said from somewhere above and to the left. "As you saw, there were unexpected complications."

"Unexpected complications my ass," Debbie spat.

"Adding a bonded pair to the wards is not as easy as it looks," Mr. Tiny said quietly.

I wanted to clamp my hands over my ears but my body wouldn't stop shivering uncontrollably.

"Can you help him?" Debbie asked. Her hand brushed across my cheek and I flinched away from her too.

"Not without knowing what he reacted to," Evanna said. "It could have been the magic itself, the binding or the fact he couldn't control what was coming out of his mouth. Though, that last one I think he figured out."

"Darren," Harkat said. "What's wrong?"

I tried to answer him, but another wave of shivering made my body jump. "Sit him up," Mr. Tiny said. His face appeared in my line of sight. I was leaning back against someone and Mr. Tiny sat cross-legged on the ground in front of me. I noticed with some confusion that we were now inside the wards.

"I think it was a combination of Evanna's blood in him reacting to the magic and the binding," Mr. Tiny said finally. "The after affects of drinking that are heightened senses. So he would have felt the binding ten times more then normal and then when Imoo was added in, he felt his bond-mates position too."

Imoo stuck his head out from my shirt and hissed. I echoed his sentiments exactly.

Mr. Tiny reached out toward my face but I arched away from him. He withdrew and sat back on his heels. "Evanna, you will have to put him to sleep until it wears off."

"Darren look at me," Evanna ordered. I ignored her and a hand gripped my chin firmly, pulling my gaze away from Mr. Tiny and up to Evanna; the second our eyes locked a wave of exhaustion swept over me. She tilted her head and my eyes fluttered shut. The terror faded away and I went limp.

"Why couldn't something have worked out properly today?" Harkat said in the background.

"Because…" I slurred. "It's our way…"

Imoo purred in my ear and I felt his body curl up in my shirt. Assured that he was resting, I let myself go.

* * *

A.N. R&amp;R please! : D


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak. **

* * *

When I woke up it was dark out. I stretched and nearly rolled out of the hammock, startling Imoo who was curled up on my chest. My ankle was wrapped in a tight bandage and my other boot had been removed. Debbie was asleep in the bed below, Harkat was sitting at a desk, bending over a stack of papers and two unidentifiable shapes lay in the last bed. I watched Harkat for a little while, trying to figure out what he was doing, before curiosity won over and I got out of the hammock. The landing sent a painful twinge through my ankle and I limped over to Harkat, who had looked up at me in surprise.

"Hi," I whispered. "What is all this?" I pointed at the messy papers. "And why are we all here?"

Harkat showed me the closest page. "We are trying to record creature movements to figure out what the Lord of the Shadows is doing. Increased activity usually he means he was either in that town, or close by. Usually we just get flooded with reports of the odd person being taken." He scooted over so I could sit at the other chair next to him and I lowered into it gratefully. "We are using most of the trailers for storage now. Evanna has her own trailer for injured people, but she doesn't sleep there except in emergencies." He pointed around the room. "Our unit now includes you and total we have me, Debbie, Evanna and Mr. Tiny and you." He shrugged. "Sometimes groups get swapped out as people come and go, but this one has stayed the same."

I nodded in acceptance. "What does everyone do?" I set aside several papers and propped my ankle up.

"Every group exchanges duties from day to day so no one gets the night shift too many days in a row. The only exception is us; we always take the dusk shift and patrol the entire length of the wards so Mr. Tiny can refresh them. Some days, besides the dusk run we really have nothing to do except slog through reports." Harkat looked sideways at me. "Normally adding someone to the wards doesn't end badly like that."

I shuddered. "I don't want to talk about it," I said and swiftly changed the subject. "What weapons do we have? And is anyone else here since I "left"?"

Harkat grinned. "Name it, we probably have it. Flamethrowers, guns, rockets. As well as the normal vampire weapons like knives, swords, maces, and Vancha's throwing stars." He rubbed his hands together. "When the sun comes up I'll help you pick out an outfit and some tools. The Vampire Princes removed the ban on guns until further notice, so those are options for you now."

I had completely forgotten about that and was relieved. "That's good," I said. I wasn't going to admit it, but the idea of wielding a flamethrower sounded pretty cool.

"And you won't believe this," Harkat said. "The vampaneze and vampires have made peace with each other for the length of the war. Gannen Harst is in the camp right now. They don't actively work together, but exchanging information has gone smoothly. I think there have even been a few fights with them on the same side." He set aside half the papers and began to stack the rest. "There was one fight we almost lost Darren. When Mr. Tiny showed up at the camp, Evanna and him left for a couple weeks. One night we were attacked by at least fifty of them. We had only just begun to shore up our supplies and…and we lost several people. But right before we fell back completely Evanna and Mr. Tiny showed up. They appeared at the edge of camp." Harkat shook his head, lost in a memory. "You hear the stories about how powerful they are, but to see it in action is unbelievable."

I raised my eyebrows. "What happened?"

"Mr. Tiny's hands were on fire. He looked angrier then I had ever seen him before. Evanna had changed into this huge wolfish creature and they tore through the monsters. At one point Mr. Tiny was throwing flaming spears. We won because of them. The next day Mr. Tiny put up the wards." Harkat spread his hands. "And here we are. Mr. Tiny and Evanna are the new owners of the Cirque Du Freak."

"I can't believe the vampaneze and vampires are working together," I said. "Somewhat."

Harkat nodded his neck-less head. "A few of the more forward ones on each side are offering to trade apprentices for a few weeks, so they can learn about each other."

"What happened to Darius?" I asked. "And Evra's wife and kids?"

"They are all staying with Annie, moving from town to town. They are one of the groups sending us the reports. Darius is officially Vancha's apprentice, and they keep in touch by email."

"Who did we loose that night?" I asked softly.

Harkat bowed his head. "Cormac Limbs, a few Little People and several others that hadn't been around for long." He shook his head. "Several we never found. We don't know if they fled or…or if their bodies were taken."

I joined Harkat in silence until I offered him a half smile. "I may be a bit rusty in the fighting department."

"We will spruce you up in no time," Harkat said. The grief in his eyes cleared a little.

We sat quietly, moving our chairs to the door and opening it so cool air brushed over us. The sun was just rising, brilliant tongues of gold, purple and pinks springing up across the horizon. Imoo jumped into our laps and stretched out. I brushed a hand over his head and traced the gold stripe on his flank.

_** Darren… **_

I jumped. "Did you hear that?"

Harkat frowned at me. "Hear what?"

_**Darren… **_

I looked at Imoo who looked back steadily, slapping his tail on my thighs.

_**Fish. **_

"It's Imoo!" I said in amazement. The gravelly, hissing voice that echoed through my head undoubtedly belonged to the thing.

Harkat chuckled. "I guess Mr. Tiny opened the connection between you two permanently."

_**Fish!  
**_I mentally groaned. "I have the feeling he isn't going to shut up anytime soon now that he knows how to do this." I looked down at Imoo and narrowed my eyes. "Can you only speak in one word sentences?" I closed my eyes and searched for the little part of me that belonged to Imoo. _'_**What?' **I finally said mentally and shot my head up. A burning pain settled behind my eyes and I groaned. The sun had come up much further and I had drooled on my shirt. I wiped it away quickly and limped back inside with the chair, ignoring Harkats smirk.

_**FISH!**_

The mental shout made me jump and I knocked the chair into the desk. The resounding clatter made the others shoot up in their beds. Evanna's hair was sticking up and she looked daggers at me. Mr. Tiny looked mildly concerned before seeing me frozen to the spot. Debbie already had her gun pointing at me. I blinked at her several times before she lowered it.

Imoo leapt onto the bed and pointed at Evanna's hair with a paw. '_**Nest'? **_

'**NO**,' I managed to reply.

Imoo looked at me doubtfully, but decided not to press the issue.

"What is that thing saying about me?" Evanna asked. She had somehow already fixed her appearance and was sticking her head through the bathroom door.

"Um…" I said. "Nothing important." I picked up Imoo and carried him outside with Harkat, leaving the others to get ready. _**'Fish, fish, fish!' **_ Imoo crowed when we rounded the next trailer and saw Truska cooking over an outdoor oven.

"That's not a fish," I said grumpily. Then, too late I remembered no one else knew I was here.

The resounding scream echoed through the campsite and I was engulfed in a rib crushing hug. "DARREN!" When Truska finally released me, I saw Evra standing over her shoulder. His face had gone very still. His snake was draped around him like a scarf, like he always kept it.

I spread my arms and leapt at him, shouting in delight. We crashed into each other and went sprawling into the wet grass. Imoo and the snake got into a spat and went rolling away. Evra grabbed me hard and I traced his scaly skin admiringly. "You have a new pattern," I said.

"How?" Evra asked. But I was pulled away from him by others coming out of trailers and grabbing me in quick hugs. Most of them I didn't even know, but I accepted their greetings anyway. All of them moved back though when Imoo came tearing back with the snake hot on his heels. I could tell several of them, including Evra and Truska were about to draw their weapons when Harkat and Debbie came running over.

"Its alright," I said quickly and gave them all a quick rundown of the bond.

'_**Please?**_**' **Imoo asked and wriggled toward the oven.

I turned toward Truska. "He wants to know if he can have some of your cooking."

Truska looked startled, but her pale face brightened. "Of course." She gave us two plates and Imoo took his, taking the bounty under the table. When no one was looking, I fed crispy pieces of bacon to him under the table. Mr. Tiny and Evanna joined the group a few minutes later and we all sat on the benches, laughing and talking. When we were all done Imoo dragged his plate over to Truska. The slick ceramic gave him trouble but he didn't stop until the plate touched her toes. We all watched him and I hoped he wasn't about to trash the campsite.

_'__**Good food,' **_Imoo said with his chest puffed out. _** 'Crispy. Yum.' **_

I laughed. "Truska, he says your bacon was crispy and good."

_'__**YUM'**_came Imoo's insistent voice again.

"It's yummy too," I added.

Evra held out his last piece of bacon to Imoo who studied it intently before delicately taking the tidbit and wriggling under Mr. Tinys chair. The next second Mr. Tiny leapt out of his seat as Imoo shredded the back.

Truska smiled. "Thank you for the compliment." She looked more accepting of the little monster. Evra had a funny grin on his face and when he looked at me I shrugged.

Evra and Harkat pulled me out of my seat barely five minutes later and half carried, half dragged me through the campsite. They finally stopped in front of a large trailer with a full length mirror leaning in front. "This is the weapons and accessories storage," they said together. "Lets get you suited up!"

I opened the door, not quite knowing what to expect. Boxes sat on shelves covering the walls from floor to ceiling. They were all numbered, but I had no idea of the order. Hanging on the wall were rifles and when Harkat pulled up a section of the carpet I could see cases full of hand weapons beneath.

"We saved something of yours," Harkat said and Evra pulled me back outside.

When Harkat came out he was holding a short sword. The hilt was worn and the blade dull, but I recognized it. It was the same weapon I'd used on the night I fell in the river. Harkat handed it to me and I gripped the hilt. The weapon brought back painful memories, but I welcomed them. I whipped the sword around in a sharp undercut and weighed it. "I'll take it," I said and strapped the sheath around my waist, sliding the weapon inside. The familiar weight steadied me and I felt more like myself then before.

"We need to fix up that hoodie," Harkat said and I pulled it off. He sliced off the arms, but left the hood. I pulled it back on and Evra handed me a knife. The blade was five inches long, and the hilt was steel with a faint blue design etched into it. I strapped on the arm sheath and put the knife inside. Next I changed my worn jeans into new tough ones, with built in secret pockets. In each of those I put a small dagger, except for the last one in which I put the pocketknife. When I looked in the mirror I looked more like a vampire prince, and hunter then before the day I fell. I had trimmed my nails into points and run a brush through my hair. My eyes were hard, but not emotionless, just worn and battle weary.

"You can use the gun you brought with you too," Harkat said. "We will go back to the trailer if you want it."

"Alright," I said. The three of us headed back, our heads bent together. Together Harkat and I told Evra about the bear-creature and I explained what had happened to me while I was gone. We passed the oven again, where Truska was cleaning up. I was surprised to see Imoo sitting next to her, occasionally batting forks.

After I strapped on the gun I held out my arms. "How do I look?" I asked.

"You need one more thing," Evra said and it was clear by the look on his face he'd been thinking about this for several minutes. He made me wait at the trailer with Harkat while he raced away. Evanna came out of the trailer with her own weapons. She studied me and nodded. "Those two certainly outfitted you well." A bow was strapped to her back, but strangely no arrows. I opened my mouth to ask about this when Mr. Tiny came out of the trailer too; carrying the stack of papers Harkat had been sorting. He glanced at me quickly and his eyes fell on the sword. It was clear he knew the weapon. Evanna looked at the sword and held out her hand. "Give it to me for a second Darren."

I unsheathed the sword and handed it to the witch.

Evanna laid it across her palms and while I watched the dirt fell away from the sword and the blade sharpened. When she gave it back the sword was as clean and sharp as the day I'd gotten it. I held it up and gave it an experimental slash. "Thank you," I said gratefully and tucked the sword away.

"Darren!" Evra panted. I was startled to see him look at Mr. Tiny with none of the paralyzing fear he had held before. He held out a long, thin package wrapped in brown paper.

I took it and just by the feel knew exactly what it was. I ripped away the paper and held my old flute in my hands. A smile stretched across my face and my fingers instinctively found the holes. The tune that came spilling out wasn't exactly happy, but a slow experimental sound that stretched into the morning air. My fingers danced across the instrument swifter now, sending a lilting song drifting into camp. With it I called to Imoo, asking him to come. When the little creature came he paused and tilted his head to listen. I played faster and faster, making the Wolfman howl from across the camp and Evra clap.

Mr. Tiny and Evanna leaned against the trailer and I spun past them, followed by Imoo who was twisting from side to side. The little creature bounced around me in excited circles and I spoke through the music too him much more fluently then I could with words. Imoo complied, executing impressive back flips and other nimble movements around me. Quick as a snake he weaved up and down my body, then was gone and dancing to the side. When I finally stopped my breaths came in short pants and I gave the same bow that I would have done on stage. Imoo sat on my feet and puffed out his body impressively.

"Guess who's back!" Evra said loudly. "Darren Shan and his incredible performing monster!"

I grinned and hauled Evra up onto my shoulders. "Next up is the baffling and dangerous Snake Boy!"

Evra jumped down and gestured impressively at Evanna who arched an eyebrow. "And then we have the mysterious Lady Evanna, Shape-Shifter extraordinaire!"

Evanna looked sideways at Mr. Tiny who looked back perfectly blank.

"I will remain the host," he said. "The backstage crew manager," he said.

I stared at Mr. Tiny for a moment. "If you wanted to be in the show, there would be a place for you," I said impulsively. The strange, longing look in Mr. Tiny's eyes bothered me.

Mr. Tiny looked surprised that I had even spoken to him. "What could I possibly do?"

I shrugged. "Evra said you're good with fire."

Mr. Tiny's face closed off again. The hate returned tenfold and I turned away, gripping the flute hard. Why had I even spoken to the man? He didn't deserve anything from me, let alone an invitation to join the performances. We didn't even know if there would ever be another show to begin with.

"Come on," Evra said. "You haven't seen Vancha or Gannen yet. They are probably out fishing."

'_**Father?' **_ Imoo asked as we walked away. He seemed interested by the concept, but I wasn't in the mood to explain it to him.

**'Yes he is,'** I replied passed through the wards and for a brief, terrified second I was back in the suffocating binds. I stumbled through and Evra helped me on until the feeling passed. Harkat didn't say a word about it, but I knew he would try to talk to me the moment we were alone.

_**'He sad,' **_**Imoo said**_**. 'Lonely.'**_

I looked at Imoo and growled._**'**_**That****doesn't matter. He deserves it**_**.' **_

_** 'No.' **_Was all Imoo said and for the rest of the way to the lake I couldn't get him to say another word.

* * *

**R&amp;R please! :)**


	8. AN

This isn't an update! Life has been very busy lately, but by next Thursday I will be back to updating every few days like normal. Just letting you all know this story is far from abandoned.

;)

dangerouspie101: Thank you! I know about the errors. I was struggling with an error on every typing thing I used. Whenever I would go back to fix something everything ahead of that would be deleted as I typed.

Steve Moriarty: Darren never actually died... he just thinks he did. What actually happened will be explained later. (There is a hint in the description of the story!) In this story, the Lord of the Shadows will be the enemy, with a few side plots along the way. He hasn't appeared yet, but in the next few chapters the war will become a bigger part. I haven't decided one way or another about Steve yet. I agree that they are like sides of a coin and if/when Darren's situation becomes resolved then Steve needs another kind of ending. I hope you keep reading : )


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak.

A.N. I'm back! It wasn't exactly Thursday I know : (

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I walked ahead of the others in fuming silence for ten minutes before I cooled down enough to fall back. I was surprised that they hadn't tried to talk to me, but was grateful for their consideration. Unasked questions swirled around my skull until I nearly burst with them. A throbbing pain settled behind my eyebrows, not unlike the one I'd gotten right before I almost killed Darius. The sun was high in the sky now, and the warmth beat down between my shoulder blades, a sharp contrast to the snow I crunched over.

"Do you think you should explore the bond between you and Imoo more?" Evra asked interestedly.

I looked down at the monster, who was padding over the snow beside me without leaving footprints. "Yes, I would if Mr. Tiny hadn't provoked it in the first place. Who knows what he did to it."

"You could ask Evanna," Evra suggested.

"I can send faint pictures and short sentences," I said obstinately. "That's good enough for me."

"But you often misunderstand each other," Harkat interjected.

I fell silent again and paced ahead of the two again, shoving my hands deep into my pockets. My sword bumped lightly against my leg; I welcomed the weight and found I was swiftly falling back into the alert, tense position I'd adopted throughout the war. While the surroundings seemed quiet enough, I kept glancing toward the shadows casted by trees, bushes and us. "Not everyone seemed thrilled to see me," I said quietly. "Do you think Vancha and Gannen will be?" I harbored no ill will toward Gannen. While he had fought against us, he had seemed to follow Steve with much less reverence then R.V or the others.

"I don't think Gannen will care one way or another. Vancha will probably be delighted. He was supposed to be finding candidates for a replacement Prince," Evra replied.

Harkat only looked troubled.

I hesitated before asking: "I know some of those people had no idea who I was, but even Truska looked wary of me at first. Do you know why, besides the fact you all thought I was dead?"

Evra looked away and when I turned on Harkat he wouldn't meet my gaze either. "What aren't you telling me?" I demanded.

Harkat stopped dead and ran his words together. "The Lord of the Shadows was born exactly as he would have been had you not changed things."

A chill ran down my back. "So…"

"He's you Darren," Harkat said. "Right down to that cocky look you get on your face when something is going exactly the way you want it. That tilt of your head when you're thinking about something. He even walks talks and sounds like you. He even has your memories. But the eyes are all wrong. That's how I knew it was really you at the store, because your eyes were alive."

I shuddered. Now the odd looks I'd been getting made complete sense. The way Debbie had been so threatening in the bathroom and the horrified look Mr. Tiny had given me. It hadn't been just because it was me, there was something else mixed in there too. I walked ahead of them again, hunched over slightly and kicked at the snow. Something else that none of us could comprehend was going on. It was impossibility for two of the same person to exist, even if they were different versions. '_Two months ago I died,' _I thought._ 'A doppelganger of me appeared as I would have been had I lived. Now I'm back and that shouldn't be possible. 'Mr. Tiny couldn't have brought me back, his expression made it clear he hadn't. Besides I would have been a Little Person. Evanna doesn't seem like the kind of person to bring back the dead, even if its family.' _

"Did any of you go back to the river where you died?" I asked.

Harkat nodded, looking strained. "We did, but nothing except blood was left." He paused. "Do you remember being dead?"

I shook my head. "No. If I knew otherwise, I would say I've been asleep for two months. It's a total blank. I just remember floating in the river, not wanting to let Mr. Tiny heal me and then…it all goes black." ' And _Mr. Crepsley reaching out toward me, his face dropping in sadness.' _Why had he been so sad?

The walk continued and after awhile I shut out unpleasant thoughts for the time being and focused on the terrain. Sunlight washed over the rolling hills surrounding us and the trees sparkled, droplets of snow water shining on their leaves. The snow was slowly melting, exposing brown grass and tougher plants. Pine trees dotted the landscape, branches bobbing up and down in the cool breeze. I caught a glimpse of Imoo weaving up between the branches of an oak, before the shadows swallowed him up and we moved on. The world seemed to be in sharper clarity then it had been before I died and I noticed smaller details then before; mouse tracks under a bush and a pair of eyes belonging to a raccoon watching us from a fallen tree. I reached out and trailed my fingers across the pine trunk and my fingers came away brushed with pieces of bark. I cleaned my hands on the hoodie and removed it, tying it around my waist. All of the disorientation from the purge and blooding Darius was gone. "They are coming," Harkat whispered. His large green eyes appeared on my left. "The shadows. It's been too quiet for too long. The bear in the store was nothing to how it normally is. That thing was a wanderer."

I flexed my hands. "Do you know how long we have?"

"A day or two at best. They probably know of your arrival already and are deciding what to do. If the Lord of the Shadows finds out…he may come to deal with you personally."

I rested a hand on my sword and scowled. "I know how he fights."

"And he knows how you do too," Harkat reminded me. "You need to gather some new tricks."

I tilted my head in acknowledgment. "What do you suggest?"  
"Ask Vancha for more hand to hand tips. Two days isn't much so every hour will have to count."

I nodded. "How does Mr. Tiny and Evanna fight?"

Evra spoke up. "Mr. Tiny goes in disguise like he usually does on dusk patrols to keep the wards up. \They are our only protection from being completely overrun. Evanna fights unless the number of injuries becomes too high then she heals people the best she can."

I snorted. "Figures Mr. Tiny wouldn't go as himself."

Evra shook his head. "No, if he went as himself the shadows would all go for him right away. He can't fight all of them and keep the wards up at the same time."

"Who does he disguise as?"

"One of us, usually Vancha or me, but sometimes even Harkat or one of the newer people," Evra said. "He wears something to distinguish himself from the real person though."

I could see shimmering water up ahead and dropped the conversation. Tentatively I reached inside myself, towards the bond Imoo and I shared. I sent a picture of the lake and asked a mental question, wondering if he wanted to come. I got nothing but silence for a long moment, and then a brief wordless assent came through. I smiled. Just as I caught sight of Vancha and Gannen sitting on the shore Imoo jumped onto my shoulder after springing at Harkats robes.

"Stay here," Evra said and motioned for me to get behind a tree. "Until we tell him. Vancha was really upset when you died, took it harder then most of the others and he might attack without question thinking you're the Shadow Lord."

I did as he asked and leaned against the rough bark, itching to peer around and watch the sure to be interesting conversation. Imoo scrabbled up the tree and crouched on the branch above me, clearly gazing at the group. After two horrible minutes I heard Evra call out. I whipped around the tree and ran toward them.

When I got within a few feet I stopped and grinned joyfully at Vancha. The Prince looked exactly the same as when I'd left him, but no blood stained his clothing. My heart sank when instead of a friendly grin he glared at me suspiciously. Gannen merely looked interested.

"Hi," I said uncertainly. I'd never seen that much hate directed at me by the vampire before.

"So you're back?" Vancha said flatly. His cold eyes made me take a step back. "How did you manage that?"

Harkat and Evra looked between us in shock.

"I-I don't know," I said feebly, pain twisting in my gut at the idea of being rejected by the Prince. "I woke up in the sewers almost two weeks ago."

"That's convenient," Vancha said darkly, his eyes glittering. In that moment, I feared him more then I ever had Mr. Tiny. "Amnesia?"

"Yes," I said my emotions sinking lower and lower. "Vancha-"

Vancha leapt forward and I flinched, but when the strong arms wrapped around me they lifted me off the ground not in a bone breaking move but a strong hug.

"I missed you," Vancha said loudly. He grinned over my shoulder at Harkat, Evra and Gannen, who all looked relieved. "Tell me all about what happened!" He set me down and I stumbled backwards, face paler then fresh snow. Vancha's face was wide open and delighted, but I couldn't forget the razor sharp nails digging into my throat during the "hug."

We sat together on the beach and Gannen recast the line, listening silently while I recounted my story. All the while Vancha interjected at all the right parts and laughed, (much too loudly). But whenever he met my stare, there was nothing but loathing in them. My heart felt like it had snapped in two. Vancha had been a loyal and wonderful friend. Without him I would have died multiple times. But none of that seemed like it mattered now. Shamefully, tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and I wiped them away angrily.

We parted ways at lunch time: Evra to go hunting, Vancha and Gannen stayed at the lake and Harkat and I to go back to the Cirque Du Freak. Right before we left, Vancha pulled me aside and whispered harsh words into my ear.

"I don't care what damn story you've told them. I know what you are and trust me, I'll be watching." He shoved me away, chuckling when I tripped and nearly fell; offering a friendly hand and noisy apology.

The forest on the way back looked much less beautiful. A questioning tendril snaked into my mind from Imoo; he hadn't shown himself and I was glad he hadn't. Things would have gone much worse if he had. I sent him a brief image of Vancha's disgusted face and the connection went quiet. Harkat hadn't seemed to notice anything and I wasn't about to say a word.

Evanna was waiting for us at the wards and she looked at me briefly before turning to Harkat. "Desmond wants to make an early circuit of the wards; he sensed some disturbance a few minutes ago. He will not be going in disguise."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but can I bow out of this one? My ankle is starting to hurt pretty bad again." It was a bad lie and I felt like it was written all over my face but Evanna nodded.

"Go ahead," she said.

I trudged back into camp and took the long route, avoiding Truska by the campfire. When I opened my trailer door, I turned around and slammed it as hard as I could, hitting my fist against the wall until my knuckles split. Harkat had said he knew it was me by my eyes. Had Vancha not seen it? Or was he still wrapped up in grief and not able to accept it was me? I rubbed my knuckles and flung myself onto a bed, staring at the ceiling. And on top of that I could tell Imoo had taken the mental picture to mean I was disgusted by him. He had gone silent and was refusing to answer. I slammed the flute onto the shelf and scowled. I cursed Mr. Tiny and magic. I swore at bonds, wards and monsters until my throat hurt and still the anger and hurt didn't fade. Somehow I would prove to Vancha that I was me. Somehow.

It was almost three o'clock before I roused myself and opened the trailer door, a rag wrapped around my hand. I had discarded the ankle wrap and my boot was back on, along with the hoodie. This time I kept the hood up, avoiding the stares that followed me around camp. Lunch had gone by and my stomach was complaining, but I forwent Truska's place and headed toward one of the storage trailers, hoping to grab an apple.  
"Where are you going?" Debbie asked from directly behind me.

I answered without turning around or stopping. "Going to get some food."

"You can't take food from the trailers, that stuff is strictly monitored in case of trouble," Debbie said. "Just go ask Truska for a sandwich."

"No," I said grouchily. "Everyone is staring at me like a bomb about to go off. And don't tell me you don't know why, because I already know."

"I'm sure they just need time to adjust," Debbie said easily. "It's strange, especially for the new people to find out someone we have talked about to suddenly show up, alive." She didn't mention the fact that I had found out.

I mentally snorted. "Yeah, sure time," I muttered.

Debbie placed a hand on my back and I stopped. "I'll go get you a sandwich," she said kindly.

I shook my head, "I should. I already skipped a patrol, I need to do something."

"Go on the dusk patrol and I'm sure there will be plenty to do besides that. You only just got back."

I tried to let Debbie's words calm me down. "I guess," I said reluctantly. "Is there any way I could join the hunting crew instead of the patrols?"

"Because of Mr. Tiny?"

I didn't answer.

"I don't think so," Debbie said. "They have all the people they need at the moment and I doubt anyone will swap right now. Usually it's the newer, less skilled fighters who go hunting anyway. Evra is only going today because one of them came down with a cold."

"Do you know why the shadows go for Mr. Tiny if they see him?" I asked, deftly changing the subject. I allowed Debbie to steer me toward the campfires, grudgingly knowing Truska had seemed to accept me before.

"We have ideas, but nothing certain. Evanna thinks it's because the Lord of the Shadows hates Mr. Tiny above all others and wants to destroy him," Debbie said.

I frowned. "When Mr. Tiny told me who I really was, he said I would accept him when I become the Lord of the Shadows. I guess that didn't happen."

Debbie pursed her lips and shook her head. "Well he wouldn't have because Mr. Tiny hasn't sought out the Lord of the Shadows at all to reach an understanding. The only time they have met is on the battlefield before Mr. Tiny started using disguises. The first time they fought the wards almost fell."

"That doesn't make any sense then," I said confused. "If they have only met fighting, then the Lord of the Shadows has no reason to hate him besides the fact that he is on the wrong side of the war."

"As I said before, we only have guesses," Debbie said.

"I bet Mr. Tiny knows more then he is letting on," I said. "That punishment he suffered? I bet it has something to do with the Lord of the Shadows suddenly appearing."

We marched together toward the campfire and I almost made an abrupt u-turn when I saw Vancha sitting on a bench, laughing with Truska over some unknown joke. He was wearing the same clothing as by the lake, but something was off about him that I couldn't put my finger on. When we sat down across from him, there was nothing but friendship in his gaze when he looked at me. I stared back warily.

"I thought Vancha was fishing with Gannen," I whispered to Debbie.

Debbie shrugged, but didn't reply.

Infuriated I stomped over to the bar and quickly pulled together a ham sandwich. As an afterthought I grabbed a small bottle of blood and sat back down. The first thing I did was down the red liquid and a relieved sigh swept out of me. The sandwich was next in three huge bites. Suddenly, Vancha leaned over towards my ankle and I jumped violently, knocking over Debbie's cup of milk. Vancha looked confused and I lowered myself back down, flushing in embarrassment. "Sorry," I said and let Vancha probe my ankle, still not able to keep from flinching when one of his nails dug into my skin.

"It seems healed," Vancha said and released me. "Just be careful with that foot for a few more days."

I nodded quickly and tucked said foot well out of reach. All the while I watched Vancha like a hawk, trying to connect vicious Vancha on the beach with the one sitting across from me. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.

"I thought you hated me?" I asked apprehensively.

Vancha's head shot up and he frowned. "Why would I hate you?" He asked. No secret meaning was in his eyes and I believed him.

"Never mind," I said. Maybe the Prince had gotten over his anger and didn't want to talk about it.

Debbie stretched and nodded to the empty bottle of blood I still clutched. "You are drinking more."

"I know," I said. "Not as much today but it's still way more then usual." I looked down into the empty glass bottle and sighed.

One of the Little People suddenly appeared from behind a trailer and walked toward us, holding a small piece of paper. I started in surprise when the Little Person handed me the note and walked away, not waiting for a reply. I unfolded the small piece of paper and read the one short line. My body folded in a little in shock.

Stay away from our children.

The paper fluttered from my hands and I slumped over the empty plate. From between my fingers I saw Debbie and Vancha pick up the note and read it for themselves. They exchanged glances and I snarled.

"Harkat said he could tell it was me because of my eyes," I roared, ripping the paper from Vancha's hands. "Can't the others do that?" I shredded the note and cast the pieces into the fire. "Do I really match _him _so very well?" I grabbed the bottle and squeezed it hard, kicking dirt into the fire and rounded on Debbie. "What else aren't you telling me?" I screamed. "Is Steve back now too?"

"No!" Debbie said. "He is most definitely not back!" Her face had gone white. "I don't think you really want to know Darren…"

I lowered my voice dangerously. "Oh trust me. I do want to know."

"I think it's a combination of things," Debbie said swiftly. "We know what you would have become if you hadn't died. And the Lord of the Shadows looks like you. But…" She stopped.

"What?" I growled, holding the bottle tighter and tighter.

"You look like him too," Debbie said unenthusiastically. "The way you get when you're angry, that flash in your eyes just now. It's all him Darren and if I didn't know better I would be frightened. And you have an aura of power around you, like you haven't quite come into your full power yet. I think some of the others see you exactly as you were: A half vampire on the brink of becoming the man who destroys the world. And being Mr. Tiny's son doesn't help," Debbie added. "There is that reputation at your back. Some of Cirque members might resort to violence, but I doubt they would if Mr. Tiny makes it clear you are under his protection."

The bottle shattered. Glass shot in all directions and I dropped the remains, yelping as glass cut into my skin. The clearing went silent. I focused on the shimmering pieces and tried to keep from shouting. My eyes burned and bile rose up in my throat. "Do you think I could still become that man?" I asked faintly.

"No," Debbie said firmly.

I looked at my bleeding palm and skinned knuckles without replying.

Vancha tapped me on the shoulder and I looked up. "Enough of this," he said easily. "There is no good trying to figure everything out in one day."

I looked away but Vancha gripped my chin and forced me to look at him. "Do you feel like you did before the river?"

I struggled hard, but the vampires grip was unfailing. "Let go!"

"Do you feel as murderous and unstable?" Vancha said.

"No," I said.

"Are you still having nightmares?"

"Not so far," I said.

"If the Lord of the Shadows is you and you are partly him that is nothing to be ashamed of," Vancha said. "Use that to your advantage and learn from it. Seek out the darker parts of you and force it against that monster." He released me and I pulled away, but not angrily.

"I guess," I said. "Pull me back if I get too close?"

Debbie nodded shortly. "That's what I did before Darren."

I wiped the blood away and cleaned up the broken bottle, heart a little lighter then before.

* * *

A.N. No, Vancha does not have multiple personalities. :P

Next chapter will be up soon!

R&amp;R please!


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak!**

**A.N.  
**

**A question: If I do bring Steve back, would you want him to be redeemed or stay evil? Honestly I have a really good idea of what would happen if he came back and was redeemed, (He would not be alive to see the end of the fic, but would play a huge part in the demise of the Lord of the Shadows) but if you all would rather have him evil I can work out something else.  
**

**will zona: This story begins two months after Darren was stabbed by Steve. Everything after that point in the book never happened. **

* * *

Two days later the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed around the clearing as Evanna and I grappled for dominance. She spun in a neat half circle her hand slicing towards my upper arm. I brought up an arm and blocked the shattering blow with my forearm. A new bruise blossomed, joining multitudes of others. I fell back and gathered myself, circling Evanna who stood calmly, watching me out of the corner of her eye. In the background Harkat sat on a fallen log watching the proceedings with a critical eye. I leapt again, feinting towards Evannas upper body, but changed direction mid flight and dove toward her legs. I crashed into her, but was neatly flipped upside down. I dangled over Evannas shoulder, glaring at the ropes wrapped around her midsection. For hours this had been the tune; I attack Evanna over and over, and each time fail miserably. Several times I had managed to land a blow or two, but nothing serious.

"Every second in battle counts," Evanna said, not bothering to set me down. "Watch and learn your opponent, gauge their strengths and weaknesses and strike when there is an opening, not wildly as you have been." She flung me into the air and I landed in a heap, dirt flying into a cloud around me. Her eyes glinted. "You are a vampire Prince. Fight like one!"

I scrambled upright and stared at the witch. There was no way I could beat her one on one. I glanced around the clearing, noting the tall, gently swaying trees and the patch of tall grass next to Harkat. The Little Person was sipping a cup of blistering hot coffee, looking highly amused at my failure. I bounded forward and Evanna raised her hand to snatch me out of the air. I rolled sideways and ran behind her, beginning a complex series of flailing movements to evade her. By the time five minutes passed I was panting and sweat rolled down my face. I hadn't had time to land even one blow. Finally my body faltered and Evanna brushed me aside like a fly. I slammed into a tree trunk and slid to the ground groaning. I stumbled upright and ducked into the trees, hugging bruised ribs and snuck toward Harkat. Evanna tracked me, following inside the clearing. When I was directly behind the Little Person and Evanna was no more then a few feet away I did one last, desperate thing. I jumped over Harkat and snatched the coffee out of his hands, ignoring his startled yelp. I lashed out with the cup, sending a wave of boiling hot liquid into Evannas face.

She ducked and in the next instant I slammed into her. We went down in a tangle of arms and legs. Knowing I couldn't win a face to face wrestle I wrapped my arms around her body and latched on as she got to her feet and tried to pull me off. Her hands grasped the back of my shirt and ripped it off. I stubbornly clung on.

"Clinging to me like a leech does not mean earn you a win," Evanna chuckled. Her face turned toward mine and I caught a glimpse of her bright, amused gaze. "But seeing as this is the best you've done all day I will concede for now."

I didn't let go. "Oh really?" I said doubtfully. The last time Evanna had said sparring was over she hit me twenty feet into a muddy stream and pronounced me gullible.

Evanna smirked. "Good. You are learning."

Our conversation was cut short by a sudden loud noise that echoed through the clearing. The sound was nothing I'd ever heard before but Evanna obviously recognized it for she stiffened and said abruptly. "Let go. We need to get back to camp _right now." _

I listened to the urgency in her voice and dropped to the ground. We took off at a brisk pace with Harkat, who picked up his fallen cup. Along the way Evanna put a heavy hand on my shoulder and whispered a few words. Renewed energy filled my body and I felt the pain from sparring melt away. A sense of dreadful anticipation filled me, knowing Evanna would only heal the injuries from sparring if something bad was about to happen.

We crossed through the wards which were flashing on and off. Evra met us half way through the trailers and through my sword and gun at me. "Strap up," he barked in a very un Evra like voice. "It's time.

I buckled the sheath to my waist, tucked two more knives into my belt and slid the gun away. I kept one hand on my sword and raced through camp, joined by many of the others.

Vancha was at my back, his eyes boring into the back of my head. I heard his belt of throwing stars clinking around his waist and chest. Harkat joined up, his huge war axe clenched tightly in one gray fist. I saw Truska next, her long hair tied back in a pony tail. Two guns were strapped to her belt, along with a bow and quiver on her back. Evra was geared in light leather armor, his snake dangling around his body. In his hands he clutched two wicked knives. Then their faces blurred and weapons flashed by, their owners indistinguishable from the crowd: flamethrowers, belts of grenades, handmade clubs and swords.

Mr. Tiny was at the back of the group. His eyes, hair, hands and watch shone an unearthly red and when the wards glowed with renewed light I knew he hadn't had time to disguise himself before strengthening the wards. His eyes flicked over me and Evanna and he nodded shortly to his daughter.

"Listen!" Evanna roared at the milling crowd. "The ward crews are as follows: Darren, Harkat, Debbie and Mr. Tiny. Vancha, Truska, Evra and I. Everyone else prepare yourselves. This could get ugly, very, very quickly!"

I unsheathed my sword and ran forward. Mr. Tiny had taken the lead, followed by me, Harkat and Debbie in a line. While we ran Harkat unwrapped a long thin package and handed me another sword. Its hilt was steel, shining in the sunlight. A dragon was engraved into the hilt, its jaws holding the long, wickedly sharp blade in place. The blade itself was ridged, looking eerily like dragon scales. I ran a gentle finger along the length of the blade and whistled. "Where did you get this?" I asked in admiration, trying to hand the sword back.

Harkat pushed it back toward me. "It's yours," he said. "Evanna told me to give this to you when the shadows came. It has its own magic welded deep into it, and will protect you. She told me if you weld this against a shadow in battle you are declaring your allegiance to the Cirque and in extent Mr. Tiny and her."

I fingered the blade, squinting as the dragon seemed to stretch lazily, wrapping its tail more firmly around the handle. The steel scales flowed like water over the blade in a northeasterly direction. When I blinked the sword returned to normal. "Did she make it?" I asked in disbelief.

"With Mr. Tiny's help, yes," Harkat said. "She said the Lord of the Shadows will be trying to turn you over to him and if you use this sword against him, your decision will be clear." He clapped me on the back. "You are a member of their family and no matter how much you dislike your father I think this is their way of saying you are firmly under their protection. Both Evanna and Mr. Tiny have their own. So did Mr. Tall when he was alive. If you wield this sword in battle, he will become even stronger which could mean the difference between life and death for the wards and camp."

I strapped the sword to my waist and stared. The weapon had changed completely; it now looked like a rusty ill kept weapon. But when I brushed my hand over the hilt, it flickered back to its previous state. "I will not swear my allegiance to Mr. Tiny," I stated.

"When the time comes, you may have no choice," Harkat replied. "The sword will not work completely until you do."

I nodded in the direction of Mr. Tiny. "Does he know I have this now?

Harkat shrugged. "I doubt it. Evanna and him were planning to give it to you together, under a less dangerous situation but that didn't work out as planned. I think he thought you would refuse it anyway." He stared reverently at the blade. "You belong to the most powerful family on earth," he said. "Fight like you do and nothing can stand in your way."

I let my hand fall back to my side and grimaced. "I have no magic."

"So?" Harkat said. "Has that stopped you before?"

I flexed my hands and shook my head. "No it hasn't." I snarled. "I don't need magic anyway." But as the outside of the wards came into sight, along with a terrifying sight I mentally exclaimed '_But at times like these it could be helpful.' _ The wards were being bombarded with shadows of varying sizes. All of them stopped briefly when they saw us and we halted a few feet from the wards. A huge creature leaned against the wards, its head cocked at me. I carefully kept my hand well away from the other sword at my belt and stared back with a blank face.

Debbie, Harkat and I fanned out in front of Mr. Tiny, eyeing the monsters with wariness. While the wards held there was nothing the creatures could do, but I knew they had fallen before. The only thing I wondered was how anything could overcome Mr. Tiny's magic. I reached deep inside myself and called to Imoo, falling much deeper into the bond then I had ever before. **'I'm sorry,' **I whispered pleadingly.** 'I did not take the time to know you as I should have. I need you now more then ever. They are here and the wards will fall sooner, rather then later.' **The exchange left me exhausted and I swayed on the spot. Then a reply came and I nearly collapsed with relief.

**'_I am coming._' **

**'Thank you,' I replied. **

**'_Come closer_,' was the unusual reply. **

I leaned into the bond, no longer aware of my body and caught a glimpse of where Imoo was. He was racing through a forest far outside of camp and I came to the horrible realization he had been running away. **'What?' **I asked.

**_'Take some of my power to use,' _**Imoo hissed**_. 'Use it well.' _** Something surged through the bond and I felt someone far away hit the ground with a loud thump. I blocked it for a long moment, teetering on the edge and then welcomed it through. A rush sent my body into convulsions and my eyes rolled up. **_'The Lord of the Shadows is coming. I can feel him like a sickness on the edge of my mind." Imoo added. 'He comes for you.' _**

I opened my eyes with a start and sat up, nearly colliding with Debbie's skull. "He is coming!" I hissed and then coughed when Debbie only looked confused and startled. "He is coming," I said in English. Mr. Tiny was leaning over the proceedings, his face a mask.

"What?" Harkat asked in dismay. He pulled me upright and I felt another store of power inside me now, not yet in use but ready to be called upon if needed.

"Yes!" I said. "Imoo told me."

Debbie swallowed hard. "Do you know why?"

I bowed my head. "He is coming for me."

Silence met my words. Mr. Tiny was still carefully blank, but Debbie and Harkat were not so. Their faces went through a mixture of surprise, fear and then anger. I paced to the wards and pressed my nose against them, feeling the magic trying to engulf me again. I pushed it away, not wanting to be trapped like before. The shadows snarled and paced back and forth, but where I stood they did not lunge. I watched them coldly. A wave of paralyzing fear swept through me and I longed to touch the sword, but held back. What Mr. Tiny did not know wouldn't hurt him. And it wasn't time. I had to be face to face with the Lord of the Shadows.

**_'He comes.' _**

"Call the others!" I roared. "He is coming right now!" I whirled around and Harkat pulled a war horn out of his bag, brought it to his lips and blew. The melancholy sound echoed through the hills and seconds later an answering horn blew. Then a roar came up from the camp behind us. The sound of war.

**_'He means to turn you. With you by his side the world will fall in fire and death.' _**

I stiffened. **'If he thinks I will desert the Cirque Du Freak he has no concept of loyalty and love.' **

** _'Precisely.' _**

The rest of the Cirque Du Freak came pounding up the hill and I turned to meet them. They stood back several feet and for a long minute the scene was quiet before Evanna and the others came barreling towards us. Then Mr. Tiny, Evanna and I stood side by side close to the wards. Debbie, Harkat and the rest of the ward crew stood directly behind us. And beyond them the force of the Cirque Du Freak waited, breaths billowing in the cool air. The first sign of the end was the shadows vanishing. One by one they whipped away and left the wards.

Evanna glanced at the two swords belted to my waist and her eyes shone. Beside her Vancha sent me a dark look. Out of a bush Imoo ran and climbed up my waist. He perched on my shoulder, his glowing eyes peering around my neck. He looked more like the animal I'd run into in Kurt's bedroom then ever before. His claws were unsheathed, but lifted carefully off my neck. He said nothing to me, but there was nothing more to be said.

Then, striding out of the forest came a man. His face and body were wreathed in black robes, and he walked fluidly, his feet making no sound on the snow. Behind him his footprints melted away even as he made them. The closer he got the darker the world became until it seemed to be dusk instead of mid afternoon. Even though his face was covered I could feel eyes boring into my own. I looked back at the mass of blackness solidly and did not waver. When he reached the wards his head tilted and a barking noise escaped his clothed lips. Shadows streamed from his robes and lined up beside him; the same ones that had been hitting the wards. When he lowered his hood, even knowing what he looked like did not prepare me completely. It was me, truly and completely looking back with disdain. But the eyes were cold and dead and a black streak ran through his hair.

"Harboring deserters are you?" He asked in a low purr. Though his words were low, they easily carried through the air and wards. His hard eyes were upon Imoo who shrank close to me. When none of us replied he smiled and addressed me. "Darren Shan. What a conundrum."

I didn't reply, but glared instead.

"Two of us cannot exist," The Lord of the Shadows snapped. "Unless they are on the same side."

I regarded that faulted logic with derision and once again remained silent. Mr. Tiny and Evanna were looking between us tensely. By the looks on their faces I could guess the Lord hadn't bothered to speak to them before.

The Lord of the Shadows took one more step and raised his hand to the wards. With one hand he delicately slipped off his glove and slapped his bare palm down. The wards shuddered. Mr. Tiny clutched his watch and began to chant in a foreign tongue, more roar then speech.

"You are weak Darren Shan!" The Lord of the Shadows shouted. "You hover between two worlds, choosing neither and shunning both!" He grinned, showing teeth filed to points. "Choose the darkness and serve me or a man who ruined your entire life!"

The wards buckled and twisted, flashing dangerously. Mr. Tiny was nearly screaming now.

"Your father is weak. He deserves nothing from you except hate," The Lord purred. He stretched out his free hand, fingers brushing the wards gently. "Come to me and I will help you end him. We will take our revenge together."

The wards fell in shattering, twisting pieces of light. The Lord of the Shadows last words snapped me out of the daze and I said automatically. "Mr. Crepsley told me not to devote my life to revenge!" I screamed. "If you were really me you would remember that!" For a long time the world hung in startled clarity, the Lord's face, my face twisting in absolute rage. He leaned forward in slow motion, unsheathing a sword. His foot crossed the place where the wards had been. Then everything sped up and the two opposing sides met in clashing of weapons and screams.

Crimson liquid sprayed the ground in showering arcs. I was immediately swept away from Mr. Tiny and Evanna and fought back to back with Harkat. I unsheathed my regular weapon, knowing that the power held in the other sword would only be at its most powerful as a last resort. I fired into the mass of shadows and rolled underneath a dog-creature, slicing my sword through its underside and firing a bullet into its brain. I reloaded in the instant it took to get to my feet and fired again, bringing down a small creature. I feared for Imoo who would easily be mistaken for another creature in the melee. But I shouldn't have worried. The monster bounded from battle to battle, his glowing streak illuminating the darkness. Evanna whirled out of nowhere, her hands glowing bright green. A bright light flashed behind me and a monster howled as he was ripped in two. Black liquid soaked my shirt and I grinned at her before jumping over her head and landing squarely on the back of a gigantic creature. The thing whipped around wildly and I slashed at its side, drawing long lines of black blood.

An axe sank into its head and I rolled off before being crushed underneath the dead thing. Harkat wrenched the weapon free and I didn't even have time to thank him before he was gone. Back and forth we fought, one side gaining the advantage and then the other would push back viciously. I fought towards the Lord of the Shadows who wasn't fighting anymore; just leaning against a tree on the outskirts of the battle smirking maliciously. A bright red light suddenly flashed from the middle of a huge mass of shadows and I was blasted backwards, rolling over and over with dead shadows flying by. Mr. Tiny appeared out of the light, a snarl twisting his face. His hands were on fire, the deadly flames lashing out at the monsters that got too close. He caught sight of me and invisible hands pulled me upright, dragging my dazed self well away from the main fighting. I lay in a cooling pool of blood before I gained my breath back and rejoined the fight. But it was clear we were going to loose. For every Cirque member there were five shadows. One by one they fell.

Evanna and Mr. Tiny were rallying the Cirque Du Freak in a tight circle around them. I was separated from them by a thick wall of shadows that were gradually encircling the survivors. I fired wildly, clearing a small path that I dove into, dodging claws and teeth. A claw wrenched into my shoulder and I howled in pain. I tugged off the hoodie which was hanging in loose tatters and threw it back in a shadows face, launching myself in a leap thirty feet forward into the midst of the Cirque Du Freak. Harkat pulled me upright. Blood trickled down his face from a nasty gash but otherwise he seemed to be all right. The Cirque Du Freak bunched together, forming a tight circle around the injured, facing outward towards the monsters that were circling like sharks. The brief bloody battle was over faster then it had begun and already we had lost.

The Lord of the Shadows strolled out and tapped his foot impatiently on the ground. He addressed me again, ignoring the others. "Is this what you want to be aligned with Darren?" He asked lazily. "Weaklings and children? Family that cannot even keep your friends safe?"

I looked deep into his eyes and found fear. He was afraid of what I would do. "You are afraid?" I said equally lazily. "Of what I might do, aren't you?" I didn't yet know why I was so important to the Lord of the Shadows, but vowed to find out why.

The Lord sneered. "No little boy, I am not afraid. I will kill you if I must, but that would be a sad loss of power."

I pointed triumphantly at the Lord and spoke to everyone listening. "He is afraid! He brought an entire army to deal with a "little boy"!" I fingered the leather sheath of the dragon sword and sneered, speaking only to the Lord of the Shadows once again. "I will never join you and your twisted army!"

The Lord of the Shadows laughed. "So be it. You will remain side less and die." He unsheathed his sword again and I raised a finger, coughing loudly.

"Ah…you forget there is more then your side to this war," I said as if talking to an unruly child. I had made up my mind. I was not giving my heart to Mr. Tiny, merely my power.

The Lord of the Shadows looked startled for a moment and then his face cleared. I took the moment and attacked. I flew towards the Lord, unsheathing the dragon sword as I went. I brought out the weapon and whipped it through the air halfway toward the man. The weapon blazed with red light and I drew on Imoo's power. My hands curled and changed, the nails changing to claws. My eyes narrowed and I brought down the weapon. The wards came up so fast I didn't have time to stop the blow. The sword hit the wards with a clang and I hit next, and would have bounced off had I not sank my hands into the wards, reaching toward the Lord of the Shadows. My hand closed around his wrist and I pulled him slowly but surely into the light. Our faces were twisted in horrible grimaces. The dragon sword lay on the ground at my feet, still blazing. I reached toward it, my fingertips brushing the dragons head. Then the tail of the dragon released the hilt and wrapped around my hand, pulling the weapon into my grasp. I was unable to pull back the sword very far, but I drove it into the wards with all my strength. The blade sank into them like butter and the weapon sliced into the Lord of the Shadows robes, as he was unable to flee because of the iron grip I had on his wrist. Our eyes locked and I smiled triumphantly.

"Did you really think it would be that easy Darren Shan?" The Lord whispered. His face was contorted in pain and with a snarl he bent my wrist back until I let go with a cry. "You may have aligned yourself with Desmond Tiny, but I will destroy you." I held onto the wards for a moment longer, then the blade gave way and I slid to the ground, the light from the weapon dying away.

The Lord of the Shadows stepped back and brushed off his robes. I got to my feet, wobbling unsteadily. My back burned with pain and I could barely lift the sword.

"I cannot be killed!" The Lord of the Shadows screamed hysterically. His shadows had been driven back behind the wards the moment they came up and they milled around him uneasily. It was obvious they had never seen their Lord in such an unbalanced state.

I had been walking away at this point. At those words however I whirled around and lashed out. The dragon sword lit up, flames running along its blade and slammed into the wards with back breaking force, yet the sword did not break. The Lord of the Shadows flinched. I cut a long slice into my palm with the sword and blood ran down its blade, muting the flames that did not hurt me. "I swear on this that I will end you even if it causes my death."

The Lord stared hatefully, his eyes burning with feverish light.

"Now run," I said softly.

The Lord of the Shadows melted away; I turned, dragging the point of the blade along the ground. The sight that greeted me was heart wrenching. Blood dripped from leaves, and ran in rivers along the ground. Bodies lay everywhere, some still twitching.  
**_'What do we do now?' _**Imoo asked and his battered body wound up my own. His tail curled around my injured shoulder gently.

** 'We heal the wounded and grieve for the dead.' **I repliedas a wail rose up from a man crouched over a fallen fighter**. 'And prepare for a new day.' **

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**A.N. R&amp;R Please!**

**Not too much Mr. Tiny, Darren interaction this chapter but that will become a bigger part as the Lord of the Shadow falls back. ;)  
**

***cough* yes there is now a 90% chance Steve will come back. More like 99.9% **


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak.

**A.N. Ok! Steve will be redeemed, but that doesn't mean he won't do some nasty things along the way to that. **

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I awoke in burning agony, writhing in the hammock with startled cries. My back ached and stung like something was being carved into it with a red hot poker. The next twist of seized muscles sent me pivoting out of the hammock and onto the bed where I twitched madly before falling onto the floor. I was thankful the trailer was devoid of life; Mr. Tiny, Evanna and Debbie had stayed in separate trailers with other injured Cirque members. I screamed again and clutched at the floor, digging my nails deep into the wood before I rolled away and slammed into the wall, vomiting up the meager dinner from last night. My back arched one last time and then the pain vanished, leaving me sweaty and trembling on the cold floor. I couldn't move. Every muscle had tensed up and I could only shake uncontrollably. I tried to twitch toward Debbie's cell phone, laying on the floor from where I had knocked it off the table but could only manage a slight voluntarily flick of a finger. I stopped trying and lay there, sucking in deep panting gasps of air. When I worked up enough energy I lunged and palmed the phone, groaning as another, smaller wave of pain shot through my back, this time originating from the injury in my shoulder.

I frantically pressed buttons on the phone until someone's speed dial began to ring. I had no idea who would pick up the phone. When a scratchy, unknown voice said "hello," I couldn't make my voice respond for a terrifying minute.

"Darren. Trailer." I croaked. The phone slipped from my fingers and I yelled as another wave of pain swept through me. I rolled over the phone, hitting the End button and dry heaved. I curled into a small ball, pressing into the corner of the trailer and wished I could die. By the time I heard the trailer door slam open; the pain had faded to an almost manageable throb. The sound of the door banging off the wall made my head ache and I groaned feebly. Hands pulled me upright and I tried to pull away, slipping on wetness underneath my feet. My eyes wouldn't open; they felt like ten ton weights pulled them down. I gave up and sagged helplessly, allowing myself to be led a few feet and set down stomach first on the bed.

"His back reopened," I heard a male voice say, though whether it was Evra, Harkat or any other nameless male in the camp I couldn't have said. "But look how red his skin is here, almost burned." A cold finger traced a spot on my back, below the gash on my shoulder and I shivered. "His wound was well on the way to being healed from the salve. Whatever caused this wasn't natural."

"Darren…" A worried female voice said urgently, adding something else that I couldn't understand.

I really wanted to answer the woman, who sounded pleasant enough. But my muddled thoughts were making it very hard to concentrate and I blinked uncomprehendingly. The fingers came back, this time probing the source of the burning and I whined as another, much shorter bolt of pain wove lazily up my spine. They didn't stop moving though, tracing a path across my shoulder blades and back down to my lower back. Each time they pressed down even slightly, more pain came until I wanted to bite the person sitting on the bed beside me.

"Get me the salve," the male voice ordered.

When the female passed by I pulled in a ragged breath and froze in surprise. I could smell ten times more then my vampire senses had allowed before. A nutty flavor flowed into my nostrils, along with the sharp tang of fear and worry. When the male moved, apparently to take the offered salve, I caught the sharp scent of ocean air and concern. Another weight settled on the bed on my other side. _'Just once could I wake up normally?'_ I thought hopefully.

When the woman spoke again, I was relieved to find I could just make out her words. "What about the wound he got from Steve? He applied the salve everywhere he was aching, which was quite a lot of places."

"You think the salve was tampered with?" The man asked, a harsh note of anger in his voice, though I could tell the anger wasn't directed at the woman he was speaking with. He rolled me onto my side and I heard a collective gasp from both of them. I longed to open my eyes and see what was going on. There was no pain in my stomach at all. Then I felt something running down the back of my thigh, all the way to my knee. It wasn't the touch of salve (I was still clothed in loose sweat pants) nor the touch of the people next to me. It felt almost like the brush of _feathers. _The feeling stayed wrapped around my knee, like a tight sock.

"Did you see that?" The woman asked and I felt a rush of relief. Debbie.

"See what?" The man asked and I felt another thrill, this time of aversion. Mr. Tiny was here. Of course he was. Who else would it possibly be?

"There was something on his stomach," Debbie said. "But…never mind it was probably just the light."

The two propped me up and my head fell back gently against a large stack of pillows. Now I was more then determined to get control of my body back and run as far away as possible. I struggled to move until I was sure Debbie and Mr. Tiny could see me sweating. Something hit the floor, clanging loudly and I twitched a finger.

"Feathers," I muttered uneasily and blinked fuzzily.

Debbie jumped. "Darren!" Her face was a peach blob and I blinked again, trying to bring her into focus. "What happened?"

Mr. Tiny pulled me upright and my head lolled sideways. He placed a bottle to my lips without answering and I tasted blood on my teeth. Normally I would have protested outright, but my stomach growled at the smell, and I opened my mouth compliantly to drink. As the blood rushed down my throat I brought the room back into focus. The first thing I glanced at was Mr. Tiny, holding me up with one hand and pouring blood into me with the other. His eyes were fixed on my stomach but he must have sensed me looking at him because his gaze darted up to mine. I looked away before our eyes met. When the bottle was empty he laid me back on my side and I heard the lid of a jar unscrewing.

The salve was pushed under my nose and I wrinkled my nose at the fresh rancid smell I was getting from it. I coughed.

"Is this what you used last night?" Mr. Tiny asked. "Exactly the same thing?"

I nodded. "Yes," I rasped. "But it…smells…bad now." Thankfully the salve was pulled away and I could breathe properly again. I still felt weak and shivery, like I was coming down with a bad case of flu and my back ached but at least I had some movement back. Mr. Tiny got off the bed and went into the other room with Debbie. I heard them pulling medical supplies out of the closest and grimaced. There was no way I was sitting still and letting both of them bandage me up. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and the room spun. I waited, taking in deep breaths of air until I was able to grip the edge of the side table and stand up. Each shuffling step felt like a mile until I reached the mirror beside the hammock. There I caught sight of my reflection and gasped. My face was deathly pale, except for a single trail of blood running down my chin. My torso was covered in bloodstains, most coming from my back but a few from the scar at my stomach which was bleeding. There was no wound, but a sluggish trail of blood came from it. When I twisted to see my back I blanched. My back wound had indeed opened up again, but the bleeding seemed to be slowing. What was more disturbing was the burn marks littered across my back.

I leaned against the mirror and my breath clouded the surface. I didn't understand how a salve tampered with or not could cause that much damage. When a hand touched my shoulder I yelped and the feathery feeling which had been gliding around my waist shot back down. "There it was again!" Debbie said loudly and she steered me back toward the bed, sitting me firmly on it.

I stared at her blankly. "What?" A sudden urge to protect that feeling, whatever it was overcoming me and I felt a strong urge to shrink away when she began to roll up my pant leg. Mr. Tiny emerged from the bathroom carrying several bandages and stared at Debbie.

"There was what again?" He asked and set down his load on the bed.

I jerked my leg away when the pant leg was almost to my knee. "Just leave it alone!" I said piercingly and pushed down my pants. The feathers settled around my knee once again and I breathed a little easier. To avoid further discussion I tried to stand up again and was pushed back down.

Mr. Tiny unrolled the bandages and pulled a fresh jar of salve out of his jacket. With two fingers he spread the cream across the length of the cloth. I sat frozen. If Mr. Tiny put those on me he might discover what was that resting in the crook of my knee. When he came toward me, his hands glowing faintly I shot upright again and keened in pain.

"Darren sit still," Debbie said and pulled me back down.

There was nothing I could do to prevent Mr. Tiny from laying the first stretch of bandage on my shoulder and tucking it under my armpit. The second the salve began to soak into my skin the hurt slowly faded away. Whenever he made a full wrap around my body he muttered something and touched the bandages. Like the first time I had used the salve my eyes began to droop. Drowsiness was a side effect few escaped from using the salve and I was no exception. By the time Mr. Tiny finished my shoulder I was no longer fighting Debbie's grasp, instead hovering in a light doze.

"Try to stay awake," Mr. Tiny reprimanded, snapping his fingers next to my ear.

I ignored him.

"Stay awake or I'll put you on my lap to finish this," Mr. Tiny said a trace of amusement in his tone.

That got me to open my eyes. I glared at him. "You wouldn't," I said uncertainly. But by his scent, I could tell he was deadly serious.

"Darren what do you remember from using the salve?" Debbie asked quickly, before I could take vengeance.

I shook my head. "It went on and took the pain away fine. I went to sleep and woke up feeling like I was splitting open." I was sitting upright by myself now. Debbie had released me and sat in front, legs crossed. Mr. Tiny was behind, preparing another length of bandage.

Debbie frowned. "Any idea how you got the burns on your back?"

"No."

Mr. Tiny turned me around so I faced him and probed the scar on my stomach. His face was back to being mask like, but there was a strange intensity in his eyes. Apparently satisfied he wound the bandage around my stomach and back, covering both burns and scar completely. All the fight had gone out of me again. The nauseous, shaky feeling was back.

"I think its still affecting me," I said reluctantly and blinked away spots in front of my eyes. The bed rushed up to meet me.

"He's burning up!" Debbie cried.

"Whoever changed the salve knew exactly what they were doing damn them," Mr. Tiny snapped. "But no one else is sick. Evanna would have said something by now."

Cold rags were laid over my protesting body and I fought against them. Didn't they understand I was cold? My teeth chattered until my jaws ached. Someone else entered the room and I lashed out with brick heavy arms, trying to keep the shapeless blobs away from my legs. Heavy weights settled themselves on my legs and arms and I arched, mouth opening and closing. I couldn't tell if I was making any sound. Buzzing filled my ears until I wanted to rip them off to end it. Panicked I reached toward the bond Imoo and I shared and screamed at it, begging him to stop what was happening. When nothing came through but a jumble of pictures I couldn't understand I howled in frustration and faded away.

The light fluttering of book pages flickered above my head. It penetrated the shield I'd build around myself and drew me out. I cracked open my eyelids and parted parched lips. I was curled into a tight ball among a nest of thick blankets. Another page turned. A tiny beam of light shone between the top of the blankets and my head, shining on my hands which were wrapped in the blankets too. I flexed them and winced. Every muscle ached. It felt not unlike the days after I'd blooded Darius.

"Water," I begged.

The book shut abruptly and a glass was brought to my lips, the cool liquid washing down my throat. I drank until the glass was empty. A fresh sea scent washed over the blankets and I sighed. A deep hunger rested in my stomach, one that wouldn't be sated by food. For now I felt nothing towards Mr. Tiny, and the emptiness accompanying his name was strange. He brought another glass of water to my lips and I drank it down just as desperately as the first. This time when he pulled away, I barely kept from biting down on the skin between his thumb and pointer finger. I wanted blood so much I didn't care where it came from.

I smelled blood and would have launched out of the bed had I had the energy too. Instead I had to wait torturously long as Mr. Tiny punctured a bag. He brought it toward me and I didn't wait for him to offer the ripped part. I sank my teeth into the plastic, spitting it out and sucked greedily at the crimson contents. When the bag was drained I leaned back into the pillows with a contented sigh of relief.

"We had to drug you with a heavy sedative," Mr. Tiny said after I had finished licking blood from my lips. "To keep you from hurting yourself." He looked me over. "And it won't wear off for a bit longer." I got the impression that something was distinctly amusing to the man about the situation. "But seeing as you are awake I will assume you can listen and absorb, even if you cannot offer coherent suggestions in reply."

I said nothing to the contrary.

"The salve was indeed changed," Mr. Tiny said. "A poison meant for vampires was put into the salve with such precision that the effects wouldn't have happened until well after you were asleep. It was supposed to reopen your wounds to such an extent that you bled to death. The interesting thing was that magic was woven into the poison as well. It sent you into seizures. You have been in this room for a week. The fever only broke last night."

I had no reply to this information and curled back into a tight ball. I wasn't wearing bandages anymore and I wore a different pair of sweat pants and a loose t-shirt.

"Do you hate me Darren?" Mr. Tiny asked unexpectedly. It seemed like he was testing me.

I looked at him from under a fringe of hair and frowned. "No," I said confusedly. "Should I?" I knew I should hate him, knew he had done something unforgiveable but I couldn't remember what. And it didn't matter enough to wonder what I was forgetting.

"That's the medicine talking Darren," Mr. Tiny said sternly. "Do _you_ hate me?"

I hesitated. "Yes and no," I finally decided and then lapsed back into the haze. "But you smell like ocean," I said cheerfully. "I've always wanted to go to the ocean." Another thought occurred to me. "Evra told me you can teleport," I added through a yawn. "Can you teleport to the ocean?"

Mr. Tiny looked taken aback and then he snorted. "I can only "teleport" to select places."

I rambled on. "Are they boring places? Like the desert? I mean sand is all hot and stuff, but there is nothing to see but cactus. Brazil would be a better place. Oh yeah, I forgot you can go to the Lake of Souls. What do you think a dragon would do in the desert? Get cactused to death? I wish I had some of those when Harkat and I went there." I paused to take a breath.

"Darren," Mr. Tiny said smiling. "You will not thank me later if I don't quiet you now."

I flopped back down onto the bed, stretching out. "Darren's not home right now," I said absentmindedly. "I think he is out shopping." I put my hands in the air and counted my fingers out loud while Mr. Tiny sat next to me his face a picture of disbelief.

Eventually I wore myself out and lay quietly, admiring the shapes on the ceiling. Mr. Tiny seemed to be having a internal struggle and I guessed he had come to a decision because he spoke. "You said you don't hate me, yet you do?" Mr. Tiny said.

"I don't hate you," I said restlessly. "Unless you are the one who took my cookies. Then I would hate you. I only got one of those."

"I meant," Mr. Tiny said patiently. "That Darren hates me."

"Oh," I said enlightened. "Yep. He hates you all right. In fact he would probably try to kill you if there wasn't the fact that you were helping the Cirque." I struggled to remember what else Darren was thinking. "I guess he is confused about that. He doesn't believe that you really changed, but the proof is smacking him in the face."

Mr. Tiny set down his book. His face blanked.

"He doesn't like when you do that," I said quickly. "It makes you look creepy."

"Really?" Mr. Tiny said and his face cleared, taking on a relaxed expression.

"Yep," I said in agreement. "Now can I have a cookie? I never did find mine."

Mr. Tiny reached toward a plate and handed me a small sandwich. "I have no snacks, but this should do nicely."

I ate the sandwich while Mr. Tiny watched me curiously. "Is there anything else you want to know?" I asked, yawning and brushing crumbs from my fingers.

"Of course there is," Mr. Tiny said. "But I think our conversation needs to end." He pulled the blankets higher on my chest and I slumped down, curling back into a ball, but more relaxed then before. "Go to sleep," he said, another smile breaking across his features for a brief moment. "Before you awaken enough to actually remember this later." Before I could protest he brushed a hand over my eyes and I went limp.

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**A.N. R&amp;R please! Reviews make me keep going : D**


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak! :(

**A.N. Not much Imoo lately, but he will make a "big" reappearance in the chapter after this one. Never forget how much he hates cars :)**

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I pushed back the bed covers just as sunlight began to stream through the trailer windows. I felt a little weak, and my back ached, but there was no more mind bending pain. Sitting in two chairs next to the bed, Mr. Tiny and Debbie sat slumped over, both fast asleep. Mr. Tiny had a book, and it rested precariously on his knee, open to page 42. Debbie had a blanket up to her chin and every so often she would mutter something I couldn't make out. I crept out of bed silently and walked, slightly unsteadily into the bathroom where I pulled out a new set of clothes and got into the shower. The hot water pounding on my body woke me quickly and when I got out, stripped of the sweat I'd accumulated over the sickness I felt much better. I quickly wriggled into a plain red t-shirt and jeans and padded barefoot out of the bathroom. Mr. Tiny and Debbie had not stirred.

I pulled a box of cereal, milk and a bowl out of the cupboards and made a rather large bowl of cereal. In a glass went a large portion of blood and I sat down at the rickety table, bolting down the meal. I savored the blood last, feeling strength return as I drank it. In the reflection of my bowl I caught sight of something just behind my left ear. I reached back and touched the skin there, but nothing met my questing fingertips. I tilted the bowl again, and gasped; bolting back into the bathroom. I yanked off my shirt and froze in place, mouth hanging open.

There, sliding gently across my chest and up onto my shoulder, its tail softly flicking behind my ear was a _dragon. _ A feathered dragon. Blue feathers in hundreds of shades lay across its sinewy body, and bright golden eyes gazed back at me with startling awareness. It had four legs, and there the feathers took on darker tones, then melted back into bright blues along its tail. The very tip of the dragons' tail had long feathers that were alternating tones of dark and light. It was no tattoo. Even as I watched the tail wrapped itself around my throat like a choker, but I felt nothing but a light tickling sensation. I knew I had felt that before, but in the haze of fever I hadn't put thought into it. I ran my fingers down its back, feeling the feathers under my palm and an answering shiver touched my spine. It was part of my skin, yet it wasn't. I wasn't afraid of it. Instead I was awestruck. My hand brushed the top of its head, and my hair ruffled gently. If the dragon had been completely stretched out, instead of curled around my neck and chest I guessed it would have reached from my knee to collarbone, tail included. I smiled widely as the dragon arched its back into the touch and a rumbling sound that didn't belong to me emitted from deep in my throat. The dragon was content. And I was content too.

A faint knock at the door startled me and the dragon vanished down my body in a blur of blue; settling around my knee. I quickly put my shirt back on and opened the bathroom door. Debbie stood outside. She looked bedraggled from sleep, and her eyes had dark circles under them but when she saw me a grin stretched across her face.

"What are you doing up already?" She asked.

I reached down to my waist and ran a hand along my side, in the pretense of itching. But underneath the cloth a dragon head reached up, purring at the touch. The feeling calmed me and I followed Debbie back into the main part of the trailer. "I already ate," I said quietly when Debbie started to pull out a bottle of blood. Mr. Tiny was still passed out in the chair and I had no wish to wake him up. On a whim I grabbed a piece of scrap paper and put it into the book, closing it gently and placing the book on the table next to him.

Debbie sat across from me at the table and yawned. I waited for her bleary gaze to settle on me before asking: "Did you find out what was wrong with the salve?" I couldn't remember much besides agonizing pain and feathers winding their way up my leg.

"Mr. Tiny knows what was put it into it, but not who did it," Debbie said and stretched. "It was a poison delicately made. It was perfectly suited to the mix of magical, vampire and human blood in you and the effects nearly killed you." She looked away and my stomach clenched. "Even with his magic your heart stopped twice. At one point he had to sit with you for two days, and his magic was the only thing keeping you breathing. You screamed things too, about Steve and Mr. Crepsley and the War of the Scars. But that stopped we sedated you."

I leaned back in the chair with a long sigh and gripped the armrests. "What saved me?"

Shaking her head Debbie looked exasperated. "We don't know. All of a sudden the fever broke. I was hoping you would remember enough to know what happened."

"Well, I can't help you there," I said. "I can't remember anything." The last part of Debbie's statement hit me and I narrowed my eyes. "You drugged me?" I asked warily.

Debbie didn't look the least bit ashamed. "We had no choice. You kept throwing yourself around and it was taking away the little energy you had to fight the poison. And Mr. Tiny was worried you might get hurt." She raised her eyebrows. "It took four doses to knock you out completely. On the last dose you bit him."

I felt a little bit of vindictive pleasure at that.

For several minutes we sat in silence. There was no sound except our steady breathing and the occasional snore from Mr. Tiny. I kept my arm at my side, wrapped comfortably around the dragon in a protective stance that looked completely innocent to any onlooker. I sniffed the air and a shocking mix of ocean air, nuts and blood hit my nose. The combination was nearly enough to make me gag, but I slowly separated the scents and blinked in surprise. The nutty smell was Debbie and the ocean belonged to Mr. Tiny. The blood came from the jars in the cupboard. I sniffed again and this time I caught other things in the room, like shampoo coming from the bathroom and wet towel smell.

Debbie was emitting relief in waves, projecting it with such force I leaned away slightly. Thankfully Mr. Tiny was still quiet, with occasional twinges of various dreaming emotions. I opened the window and nearly passed out from the new influx of scents, but bit by bit sorted them out until they no longer bothered me. I missed when Mr. Tiny woke up, hanging out the window the way I was. I only noticed when I heard a brief surge of voices behind me and a light tap on my shoulder. I jumped. The touch had been much too close to the dragon, which had risen up my body to enjoy the cold air.

I turned around and stared at Mr. Tiny. Now that he was awake his emotions hit me, but they were in much more control then Debbie's. He had a calm air around him, but I could also smell his carefully guarded relief. Our eyes met briefly before Evanna spoke.

"Darren, your poisoning brings a troubling conclusion," she said reluctantly and I sat back down. "Only someone very close to you would be able to slip that poison into the salve without arousing suspicion. They may have even used it themselves and then handed it off to you, after adding the extra ingredients."

My stomach lurched. "A spy?" I asked, dismayed.

"Who used the salve before you?" Evanna asked.

I counted off the people on my fingers, making sure not to miss anyone. "Harkat, Evra, Vancha, you and Mr. Tiny, Debbie and then me." I shrugged. "I don't know what order though; we were all passing it around." The thought of any of those people being a spy was too awful to think about.

Mr. Tiny sat back down in the chair he had been sleeping in and put his head in his chin, staring into space. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, and when he didn't seem to be making any effort to speak I voiced a concern.

"If-if there is a spy and their mission is to kill me, then why not shoot me in the back and be done with it?" I asked puzzled. "That seems to be a more fool proof way."

"That poison was foolproof, or it should have been. If Debbie's phone hadn't been there you would have died," Evanna said flatly. "It was sheer luck you dialed Evra's number instead of one of her contacts outside the camp. I think the spy, whoever they are wants to remain unknown for as long as possible. If you died, presumably from injuries that were far worse then anyone knew that would have not aroused suspicion."

I leapt up. "That means we can eliminate Evra as a suspect. He could easily have just ignored the call and let me…die." I felt nauseated at the thought of Evra, or any of the others taking my call, listening to my plead for help and then shutting it, and leaving me to die.

Evanna inclined her head. "Yes, I agree for now."

Debbie spoke up for the first time. "I guess I am a suspect then as well." She sounded resigned and for the first time, I felt wariness looking at her. It was an odd feeling to have toward her, but knowing one of my best friends had come close to killing me had skewed my perspective.

"I don't think the snake boy or Miss Hemlock is the spy," Mr. Tiny said finally. He sat up straighter and leveled his gaze on each of us in turn. "We need to find this spy before he makes another attempt on Darren, or another's life. It might not even be one of those who used the salve. Someone could have blackmailed them."

"Do you have an idea how to find the spy?" Debbie asked.

"Yes, I do, and I will put that plan into motion today," Mr. Tiny said. Before any of us could ask him what that plan was he walked out of the trailer, with Evanna following close behind. Two seconds later he popped his head back in and pointed at me. "Stay with someone else at all times Darren. Don't eat anything you don't make yourself."

"I guess Evra then," I said uncertainly.

Mr. Tiny nodded and disappeared. I followed him, but when I stepped outside the two where nowhere to be seen. I scowled and threw my hands up in the air. "Would it trouble him that much to explain what he is doing once in awhile?" I yelled.

Fuming, I stalked back into the trailer and strapped my weapons back on. The dragon sword gleamed when I picked it up and a flicker of light ran along the blade before I sheathed it. My other sword went on my belt and I looked down at the two before abandoning the gun, locking it securely in the trunk at the foot of Debbie's bed. I had gone so long with the knowledge that using guns was forbidden, and touching it felt wrong somehow. I preferred my swords, and now that I wielded two of them, I hoped to ask Evanna for lessons on how to fight with them properly. I knew some of the basics, but nothing fancy. I left the trailer and walked up and down the length of the campsite several times, stretching stiff muscles. At the training field, where several dummies were set up I unsheathed the swords and stalked towards them, cracking my knuckles. Residual traces of the poison still remained, I could feel my body working harder then it normally would have and my hands shook ever so slightly. I brought the swords down together in a long sweeping arc and two slashes appeared across the dummies chest. I wove in and out of the figures, making undercuts and mock defensive moves until my breaths came short and fast. The dragon sword blazed with fire, growing stronger the longer I held the weapon. I could feel the power flowing into my hand and the dragon on my back answered with a soft humming noise. Finally I had to stop, and when I looked back at the dummies I winced. Most of them were on fire, blazing like torches into the sky. I kicked them over and stamped out the fire, internally hoping we moved camp before anyone noticed the absence of the dummies. Only when I finished with that task did I see Evra leaning against a trailer, watching with wide eyes. I walked over to him and sheathed the swords, feeling a little pang when the fire melted off the dragon sword.

"Aren't you supposed to be taking it easy?" Evra asked shrewdly. He was still clothed in light leather armor, except the two knives I'd seen him using were at his belt. His snake was curled next to him on the ground and I knew he had been watching for at least a few minutes.

"Yes," I said and sank to the ground, pressing my back against the tires. The tremors in my hands were more noticeable now and I pressed them into my knees, trying to hide the shaking from Evra. For a moment I teetered, about to tell Evra about the dragon, but changed my mind. That was information nobody needed to know yet.

Evra joined me on the ground and we watched the smoldering dummies. A Little Person walked up to me, stepping through the ashes with care and handed me a small package, no bigger then my palm. Before I could ask anything, it walked back the way it came and vanished. I exchanged a confused look with Evra and cautiously lifted the lid on the box. A small piece of paper lay inside over a bundle of cloth and I read the note.

_Desmond is going to find the spy. He asked me to give this too you: in his current disguise, he cannot risk this being found on him. The chain is spelled so no one but the person who puts it on you can take it off. _

_-Evanna _

I lifted the bundle of cloth out of the box and unwrapped it. A thin silver chain fell out first, pooling into my palm and then Mr. Tiny's heart shaped watch touched my palm with a soft chink. I gasped. The watch glowed with a faint red light when I ran my fingers over the hands. The chain wound through a piece at the head of the watch, and while it seemed extremely fragile it did not break when I gave it a few experimental tugs. Another tiny piece of paper, no bigger then my thumb was attached to the chain.

_Break for help. _

I stared at the note. It was in different handwriting then Evannas, so I guessed Mr. Tiny himself had written it. I wound the chain around my wrist and stared at Evra, having momentarily forgotten he was there. The snake boy was gaping at the watch and when I looked at him he shook his head in wonder. "I can't believe he gave it to you," he said.

I couldn't believe it either. "Why would Mr. Tiny trust me?" I unwound the chain and put it over my head, letting the silver links drop onto my neck. The watch disappeared under my shirt and my entire body momentarily glowed red, but before I could do more then jump it faded away. There was no one I trusted more then Evra, but at this moment I didn't want to take any chances. When I stood up, I looked at my hands. The shaking was gone. In fact I felt rejuvenated.

"This should be interesting," Evra said, staring at the place where the watch lay, pressed against my heart. "Very interesting…" His eyes were locked onto the watch with barely masked interest.

I stood up. "Let's go," I said. I wondered what kind of disguise Mr. Tiny was using. I knew he could take on the forms of other people, and had quite often in the past. But I doubted he would take any of those now, if one of them could be the spy. The idea that I would be talking to Mr. Tiny in the near future and have no idea was disconcerting and I vowed to find out who exactly he was.

"Where are we going?" Evra asked.

"To find a spy," I said determinedly. "We can't let Mr. Tiny take all the glory can we?" I asked teasingly. I brushed the silver chain. "In this war we can't afford to go off on our own. In order to survive we must stand together. That will be what saves us, in the end. I don't like Desmond Tiny, but if I have to set aside that in order to save the Cirque Du Freak then I will." I gripped the dragon sword and gave Evra a crooked grin. "There will be time to work out domestic life later, yes?"

"Hopefully," Evra muttered darkly. But he looked excited.

I clapped him on the back. "Such optimism! I like it," I said cheerfully. I pulled Evra to his feet and together we gazed around the campsite, wondering which one of our best friends had almost become a murderer.

* * *

**R&amp;R Please!**


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak! :(

* * *

"The vampires are coming!" A little girl ran down the path, waving a toy behind her. "The vampires are coming!" Her bright face glanced over mine and she stopped in front of me and gave a short bow. "They come to meet you Prince Shan." She ran off again, keen on spreading the word.

My stomach jumped with nerves. Mika Ver Leth, Vancha March, Arrow and I were the Princes now. Unless a new one had been appointed since Paris's death, that wouldn't have changed. I stared at the dirt, and my bare feet. The weather was warming slowly but surely. Our breaths no longer hovered in the air most days and I had fallen back to light trousers and T-shirts with relief. Imoo and I were closer then ever, exploring the limitations of our bond. Even in the midst of sparring with Evanna, part of me was always with the little monster, aware of his basic surroundings and emotions. I had told him everything about my life, from being blooded by Mr. Crepsley, my apprenticeship with him. I had mentioned my mentors' death briefly, but the story brought a flood of unwanted grief. After that the story came easier, until I had to tell him about Shancus. Currently Imoo sat at my feet, batting a scrap of cloth between his paws. Outwardly he hadn't seemed to care about the girls announcement, but through the bond I could sense his curiosity. I'd been teaching him about vampire customs the past few days and he enjoyed it.

"Forgive me," Evra said offhandedly. "But you don't look like a Prince." His eyes shone with amusement and I looked down at my dirt stained self and snorted.

"That would be a hard thing to accomplish after being thrown around by a witch for three hours," I said.

_'__**Indeed. You spent a lot more time in the dirt then she did**__,' _Imoo said slyly.

'**Shut up**,' I said, not putting any force behind the words.

Imoo flicked his tail and sauntered off towards Truska, presumably to beg for the tidbits of bacon we hadn't finished that morning.

"What do you suggest?" I asked Evra, who didn't look bothered at the length of time it had taken me to respond. He was used to gaps in the conversation, knowing Imoo had interjected with a thought of his own.

Evra pondered the question and then grinned. "Who did you usually see for a clothing crisis before?"

I laughed and followed Imoo, putting a hand on Truska's arm. "Truska can you help me?" I asked. "I need some clean clothing with decent style."

Truska looked up from the plate she was washing and rubbed her soapy hands under the water. "Of course," she said. She waved me ahead of her. Imoo followed slightly behind, cleaning his whiskers of bacon grease. Truska threw open her trailer door and pushed me inside. Racks of clothing, ranging from leather armor to the frilliest of dresses lay inside. A full length mirror was propped precariously between two racks, with several boxes propping it up. At a word from Truska I un-wrapped the weapons from my waist and lay them on the floor, nudging them slightly under the clothing so they wouldn't get stepped on. Truska rummaged through the racks, humming to herself and I hid a smile. Then a shirt and pants smacked me in the face and a pair of boots landed on the floor next to me.

"Put those on," Truska ordered. "Don't look in the mirror." She turned around to give me privacy.

I slipped out of my muddy clothing and into the new shirt and pants. The shirt was tight, but not overly so. Made of black cotton it felt much better then the one I'd been wearing before. The jeans went on next and last the boots. I noted a small, hidden place in the heel of the boot for a tiny knife and smiled. Truska looked me over and pursed her lips. Imoo was doing the same, from where he sat on the pile of boxes.

"Darren, I know little of politics," Truska said seriously. "But I see that you wear the dragon sword and the watch." She pointed at it. The necklace had fallen out of my shirt and lay overtop of the black cloth, shining faintly. "It may make vampires nervous that you wear two signs of your family and none of the vampires?" She said it more like a question.

I could see where she was coming from. I had been first and foremost a vampire, and if I seemed to have shifted complete loyalty to Mr. Tiny and Evanna, that would raise questions. I had no wish to undergo an interrogation.

"I may have the perfect thing," Truska mused. Her eyes took on a closed off look. "Shut your eyes Darren."

I did so after tucking the watch well out of sight. I heard Truska opening one of the boxes and Imoo thumping to the floor with a offended hiss. A light breeze blew past my face and then something settled on my shoulders. Truska steered me a few steps and then strapped my weapons and leather armor on and took the watch back out of my shirt.

"Open your eyes," she said, a note of pride in her voice.

I did and a wave of grief, shock and disbelief filled me. I touched the red cloth reverently and blinked back tears. It was Mr. Crepsley's cape. Stained, torn at the bottom and filthy it was a sight to be seen but it was his. With the watch hanging over my heart and the dragon sword at my belt I looked firmly seated in both the vampires and my fathers loyalty. I hugged the cape closer around me and bent my head. "How?" I asked softly. "He burned."

"He had two of them right before he died. He gave one to me and I kept it after he died. He meant to give it to you when you ended the apprenticeship with him," Truska said. She smiled sadly. "I think he would have agreed you surpassed all expectations."

I felt taller with the cloak on, as if Mr. Crepsley was still here, standing in the trailer, staring at me with pride. I wiped away a tear and turned toward Imoo, bowing at him.

_'_**Does this suffice**_,' _I asked.

Imoo was staring at me, his eyes round_. '__**Yes**__," _was all he said.

I turned back toward the mirror and lifted my chin. I couldn't stop running a hand over the cloak. Some stains I even recognized, and with a wry twist of my lips I pointed one out to Evra. "That's where I dropped a candle on his cloak! He cursed me for days after that," I said laughing. "And that tear was where Vancha hung it up and was using the cloak as a target for shurikens!" And then I was off, half amused half miserable when I showed Evra and Truska spot after spot, relating stories and memories I had come close to forgetting. By the time I stopped and regained control of my emotions it was time to face the Princes.

I strode down camp, red cloak flapping behind me. Heads turned as I passed; mostly older members who knew that distinctive red. I had unsheathed the dragon sword and carried it low, flames running gently over its blade. The watch was back under my shirt. Evra and Truska had agreed that keeping it safe was more important then flaunting it. Hans Hands joined the procession, falling in behind Evra and I. Even the Little People looked up when I passed their camp, three of them watching until I walked by entirely. Imoo walked at my heels, the red cloak occasionally floating over his body, and obscuring him from view. The Princes were just entering camp, travel worn, but still powerful looking. Mika and Arrow walked side by side, gazing around camp with interest. When they saw me I could see them immediately sizing me up. I could tell they were surprised by the sword and cloak.

"Hello," I said easily when I got into speaking distance.

Mika looked me up and down and then frowned. "You are dead," he said. He was wearing a flamboyant outfit consisting of black and gold cloth, and an outlandish curved sword was belted at his waist.

I sheathed the dragon sword and smiled. "Perhaps I was. But now I am not."

Arrow grunted and squinted at me doubtfully. "Can you still fight?"

"Yes I can," I said assuredly. "If you doubt that claim you are welcome to fight me. I have been sparring regularly with Lady Evanna and she has taught me well with two swords."

"That won't be necessary," Arrow said. He looked respectful at the mention of Evanna. "Are the rumors of your parentage true?" This time, suspicion was in his tone.

"They are true," I said simply. Then I said: "Unfortunately, you have come at a bad time. We are moving camp today." I spread my hands. "If you wish to travel along with us you can. We will be stopping at an old house at the end of the day with plenty of extra room." Imoo jumped onto my shoulder and I could tell it took all of the two Prince's control to not lash out.

Mika and Arrow exchanged glances and then nodded. "We will accompany you." They fell into step behind me as the trailers began to move, pulling out through the trees and onto the tiny dirt road.

Soon we would hit the highway and I would have to get on a trailer, but until then I felt like walking. The Little People were slightly behind us, along with Hans Hands. The heart shaped watch felt like a boulder hanging around my chest. If the wrong person found out about it, shadows would converge on the campsite to claim it. Even though I had gotten stronger, much stronger with Evannas help I didn't know if I could out against them all. She had taught me things about the dragon sword; how it acts on force of will and can do amazing feats. The stronger the owner, the stronger the weapon becomes. The dragon on my back had changed too: Its blue feathers now rippled, changing shades every time it moved. Its teeth had grown longer and sometimes, when I examined it in the mirror a puff of smoke came from its nostrils. Only three days since Mr. Tiny left, and I could now touch the dragon and feel its claws hook around my finger and feel the teeth gently nibble my finger. The protectiveness of it had also increased. I'd long since forgone any thought of showing Evra or Debbie the dragon and the mere thought of Mr. Tiny or Evanna discovering it made a chill run up my spine.

"It's nice to be moving again," Evra commented, dodging Imoo who was pouncing at the edge of Mr. Crepsley's cloak. He fell into step beside me, pushing ahead of Arrow who growled. "But it gets more dangerous from here. Since we are moving into a new town the shadow population will increase tenfold. And on the road hired thugs from the Lord of the Shadows might harass us."

I stretched and pulled the cloak out of Imoo's reach, picking the monster up and depositing him on my shoulder. "What comes we will take. I am more worried about how we will set up the wards at our new location without Mr. Tiny."

"Evanna said that you know what would be the key to that, but she didn't say how," Evra said. He reached out and patted Imoo on the head, getting a slap in the face with a paw in retort.

"Of course she wouldn't say," I said. '_The watch shouldn't work without Mr. Tiny'_, I thought worriedly. 'So h_ow does that help us with protecting the camp?'_

The trees thinned and we pulled out onto the main road. I got in our trailer with Evra and the Princes and slowly we picked up speed. I opened the window and leaned out, enjoying the cool breeze. Evra opened the window next to mine and we sat on Mr. Tiny and Evannas bed, sticking our heads dangerously far out. Behind and ahead of us, the trailers stretched into the distance. Other people had their heads far out the windows and we waved to each other, the excitement (and danger) of moving infecting one after another.

"Wait!"

I jumped and nearly hit my head on the window top.

"WAIT!"

I squinted and there, running toward the back of the trailer line was a man waving a piece of paper. He was trying to catch the edge of the trailer, and several hands reached out to him. But it was clear by the trailers speed that they wouldn't be able to pick him up in time. I watched in disbelief as the man lunged and grasped a hand, barely pulling himself onboard. His leather bag swung dangerously, close to falling from his shoulder but that too was pulled safely inside. I pulled back inside the trailer with Evra, who looked delighted.

"New recruit?" Arrow asked.

"I guess so," Evra said. "That paper looked like an invitation to join us. Evanna sends them out occasionally. Most of the time we get idiots who don't last a week. But at least the guy can run." He chuckled. "You wouldn't believe the ones we get sometimes; acting like they have bested a hundred shadows with their bare hands. In reality they wet themselves when they see a good sized one."

I stared at the trailer where the man had been pulled in, but the windows were shut now. People came and went from the Cirque regularly, and new arrivals were always an event. I stuck my head back out the window and watched as we pulled onto the highway, the trailers becoming more scattered in the process. Other cars drove by their owners sometimes honking and waving out their windows. We waved back, knowing they knew exactly who we were. A couple kids pointed disposable cameras at us and clicked frantically. The back of their car was filled with suitcases.

"They all want to be us," Evra murmured. "They think it is a glory filled life." He shook his head, eyes clouding.

I pulled back inside and slammed the window down. "There is no glory in killing."

"Someday the battle will be taken to their cities. We will fight and die in their streets, and then they will truly see who we are," Evra said. "Men, women and children forced to become warriors. Do you truly think they will think so highly of us after watching that? They are not merciful and neither are we."

Mika and Arrow looked slightly incredulous and Mika spoke first. Each word he uttered lit a fury of rage in my heart. "From what I have seen the Cirque Du Freak is not the most powerful fighting force. You have children running through camp like hooligans. Your armor and weapons are poorly made and you rely on a magician for protection!"

I stood up and grasped Mika's shirt collar, slamming him against the wall with such force he winced. "Those children are war orphans! Their parents fought and died so you vampires could receive your precious information. It is not you on the front lines. You know nothing!"

"We have fought-" Mika wheezed.

I grabbed his throat, nails digging into the soft flesh. "Where were you when the Lord of the Shadows came to the camp? We lost thirty that day! Why are we the only ones traveling from city to city to help people? You rest in Vampire Mountain like cowards, sending out pathetic "patrols" and call it fighting! Even the vampaneze have done more!" I released Mika before he suffocated and the Prince slid to the floor.

"You don't know anything about what the vampires are doing!" Arrow spat.

"I KNOW ENOUGH!" I roared. I unsheathed the dragon sword and flames ran along its hilt. I pressed Arrow to the wall by his throat with it and pierced Mika with a glare. "I am the son of Desmond Tiny and Angela Shan. Vampire, human and magical blood runs in my veins. I am as mixed up as one can get. And right now I am most proud of the magical blood!" I snarled. "The Lord of the Shadows is here. He is killing, ruining families and taking cities for his own. And what do the vampires do? THEY HIDE IN THE MOUNTAIN AND TAKE NOTES!" Mika had the grace to look ashamed. His eyes lowered and I turned my fury onto Arrow who met it unflinchingly. "Fight like the vampires you are and nothing can stand in your way," I hissed. "You have Desmond Tiny, Lady Evanna and the entire might of the Cirque Du Freak and vampaneze at your back! Not even the Lord of the Shadows can stand against us if we unite as one." I leaned in close to Arrow and whispered in his ear. "Find that dark part of you, the one that longs to come out and play. The part that wants blood for all the pain he has caused." I spoke louder. "I know you are afraid. I am afraid too. Examine that fear, turn it upside down and know it inside and out. But don't let it stop you." I met Arrows gaze once again and this time he looked back with fire in his eyes.

"The Vampaneze Lord was a monster. The Lord of the Shadows is another. We put down one and we can kill the other," I said firmly, the wild anger dying out. I reached out and pulled Mika to his feet and sheathed the sword. "The shadows represent our fears, our darkest secrets and thing we shove far in the back of our minds."

Evra threw open the windows again. "No more running," he agreed.

I looked around at the others. Mika and Arrow squared their shoulders. "No more running," they agreed and I knew they meant it. I sank onto a chair, opened the bottle of blood, and drank it in three swallows. But before I could set the bottle down four distinct sounds echoed and four thuds hit the back of the trailer. Gunshots. I leapt up and scrambled to the window. Four black cars were pulling up alongside the trailers, firing into their sides. The men inside wore black suits and sunglasses. I growled and turned to Arrow and Mika. "Time to prove that newfound bravery," I said dryly. I looked up at the window in the top of the trailer and grunted. "Duck!" I leapt up and punched through the window, showering glass onto the carpet below. Imoo leapt up after me and I crouched on top of the trailer, quickly lying down so the men in the car couldn't see me. I unsheathed the dragon sword and regretted leaving the gun behind. It was a lot more then four cars. More and more were pulling up alongside trailer after trailer, pushing other travelers into the railings with a screech of metal. I looked down the ragged line of trailers, assessing which one I knew Evanna, Harkat and the new recruit to be in and nodded to myself. I crawled over and peered down into the trailer, shouting at the three still there. "Distract the car next to us! I'm going to round up the others!" They nodded.

I crawled back to the edge of the trailer and waited until a wild shout came from below. The car slowed and began firing again, totally focused on the people inside. I got into a crouched position, wobbling with my booted toes over the edge of the trailer. Imoo looked at me and then I picked him up, tucked him into my shirt and jumped, using all the power in my legs to launch us forward. I barely hit the edge of the next trailer and slid down the metal, scrabbling for a handhold. I grabbed onto the lip of the trailer and hung there, the highway rushing by feet below my boots. I let out a wild yell and hauled myself over the edge, shimmying over the skylight in this trailer. The people inside were too busy to notice me and I jumped to the third trailer, landing more firmly this time because the trailers were much closer together. Only two more before I was at Evannas trailer. But the men inside the cars had caught onto what I was doing and now they were skidding toward me, guns pointed ahead. Two shots whistled overhead and it was like a switch had been flipped. Bullet after bullet went overhead, but I was pressed too tightly against the metal roof for them to get a hit. Imoo and I crawled as close to the edge as we dared and peered over. One of the black cars was driving right next to us. The men inside only had two firing; one was driving and the second was looking at some sort of map. I sucked in a deep breath and rolled off the trailer roof.

I landed on the car with a loud crunch and whipped the gun out of the first mans hand. He wobbled dangerously and fell completely out of the window, hitting the guard rail with a crunch of bone. The second man was slightly harder but I whipped out a hand and bent his wrist back, snapping it and the gun clattered to the road, vanishing under the tires of another car squealing up behind. I snatched him up and pulled him around so he was a shield at my back. He had fainted from the pain. Bullets hit the car around us, shattering the back window and thumping into the trunk. The car swerved and I was nearly pitched off. Imoo yowled and leapt out of my shirt, flying toward the car behind us. I didn't have time to look back and jumped again, colliding with the half open window of the next trailer. I dropped the shield and he bounced away, nearly getting run over by his comrades. Nobody except boxes was inside this trailer and I climbed up the window nimbly, dropping onto the roof to rest. The car that had been behind suddenly stopped firing. I looked around and saw a tire bouncing down the highway, quickly followed by a door and then the trunk. I gaped as Imoo systematically ripped apart the car. The doors were next, then the last few tires. The steering wheel was ripped off and then Imoo clawed up the side of the trailer back to me, leaving behind a gently smoking car and two severely scratched men. I laughed when Imoo puffed out his chest and groomed his ears. The trailer ahead was Evannas but it was much further away then the others had been and three cars surrounded it. The trailer driver seemed to have taken on a evasive tactic and was weaving around the highway, trying to knock away its followers.

I exchanged a look with Imoo and in complete agreement we leapt off the trailer and began to run flat out toward the cars. Imoo took the lead and he headed toward the car closest to the front of the trailer. I sprinted, the asphalt blurring under my feet. As I ran I half jumped, half tripped until I managed to rip off the boots and discard them. I could run faster in bare feet. The trailer was quickly coming up onto the bridge. I had an idea, but I had to get there first. I let out a scream and surged forward, leaping up onto the guard rail and running on top of it. Imoo had begun to wreck havoc. Already two doors had been wrenched off, but Imoo was having a much harder time then before. Then men had wised up and were firing at him, completely ignoring the fact that they were putting holes in their own vehicle. I was level with the first car, which was too busy firing at the trailer to notice me. I saw figures inside the trailer through the tinted windows, but I didn't think they saw me. Two of them looked injured and the third was wrapping a cloth around ones arm. I was level with the front of the trailer now. I had never run so fast in my life. My muscles burned and each breath came fast and short. I passed the trailer and the men noticed me. They fired, but because of the dangerously weaving trailer their shots went wild as their own cars dodged. I landed on the bridge about a hundred feet away from the group and unsheathed the dragon sword.

I waved it in the air, a risky move. But I had to get the trailer occupants attention. The driver saw me first and he yelled something back. Then Evanna appeared in the passenger seat, with the recruit and Evra squeezing in behind. The men pulled ahead of the trailer and fired. I ducked and weaved, but the bullets were becoming closer to their mark every second. Everyone withdrew back into the trailer except the driver. But now it seemed my plan wouldn't work. The cars were pulling ahead, intending to cut the trailer off. I ran forward, howling in anger and as the group came within thirty feet, I leapt. I jumped over the car which Imoo had already ripped apart and slammed into the car next to the trailer windows. The dragon sword sank into the windshield, impaling the driver. I pulled the weapon free and jumped up onto the trailer right before the car swerved and went through the railing. Now Evra was climbing out of the trailer skylight to join me, spinning two guns in his hand. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his left arm, but he looked furious.

"There are at least twenty cars," I panted. "Imoo and I each got two, but there are still about 16 left."

Evra looked grave. "I know why they are here in such mass," he gasped back. "They want the watch."

My hand darted to my chest and I paled. "They don't know who has it?"

"Not yet," was the ominous reply.

"Lets get to work then," I said darkly. "If I can get ahead of them, I can take at least a few out. But if any of the trailers are in the way too…" I didn't finish. The message was clear. If any friendly people were in the firing line, they would be destroyed.

Evra and I looked over the edge of the trailer, each of us taking a side. There was still one car on each side. We exchanged looks and then rolled off. I landed on the back of the car, smashing my hands through the back window and grabbing the shirts of the two men sitting their. They only had time to scream before I yanked them out and sent them flying down the road. I crawled inside, ducking the barrel of a gun and sank my teeth into the last gunmen's shoulder, making him shout. I reached for the door handle and clicked it open, sending the man flying into the trailer. The driver and I looked at each other and I flashed bloody teeth at him in a feral grin. He paled and threw open the drivers door, jumping out. I climbed into the drivers seat and pulled up alongside the trailer driver. The new recruit was sitting in the passenger's seat. They stared at me in surprise and I mock saluted them. Through the other window I could see Evra had successfully gained control of his car.

I yelled at Evanna who had just pushed herself back into the drivers' area. "WE NEED TO GET THE OTHER TRAILERS OUT OF THE WAY!"

She shook her head. "They won't leave until they know who has it!"

I hesitated. "Then I guess we should tell them! If we can get ahead of them all, we can out run them. They will leave the others to chase me!"

Evanna looked as if she thought that plan was idiotic and I wholeheartedly agreed. Then she nodded. I slammed on the brakes and jumped back for the trailer. Then I stood up, and looked at the other trailers which were still under attack. When the men saw me they fired a few shots but I quickly took the chain off and waved the watch in the air.

"YOU WANT THIS?" I screamed. "THEN COME GET IT YOU BASTARDS!" The results were perfect. The cars peeled off from their targets and headed right toward us. I waited until they began to fire before jumping on top of Evra's car. I leaned down and slid into the window. "Get as far ahead of them," I whispered tiredly. "Find another bridge if possible."

"I thought we were going to out run them together?" Evra asked confused.

I shook my head. "We can drive faster then that trailer. And if they catch up to Evanna and the others they will kill them. There is enough fire power to take down anything in those cars. They want what I have and I doubt they'll stop for sightseeing along the way."

Evra nodded shortly and pressed the gas petal to the floor. We peeled ahead of the trailer in a screech of rubber. Only fifty feet away from the trailer the other cars came skidding around it like a stampeding herd. About a mile ahead we could see a bridge, its span much, much bigger then the one we had just gone over. I fingered the hilt of the sword. "Get onto the bridge. Don't stop until we are about three quarters of the way up it." I looked back. "And we will need a bit of distance."

"Take these," Evra ordered and handed me the guns. He looked forward and if possible the car went even faster.

I leaned out the windows and instead of aiming for the gunmen, I went for the tires. '**Imoo now!**' I yelled mentally.

In a blur of black Imoo leapt forward and darted under the lead car. Metal flew and tires bounced past us. I fired once, twice and the car slowed to a crawl, Imoo darting in and out of its windows like a demon. He emerged seconds later, clutching the gas pedal in his mouth. I lost sight of him as more cars drove forward and fired again. The bridge was only five hundred feet away, but it felt like miles. The cars had gradually fallen behind but we would be lucky to have seconds when we stopped. The cars had stopped firing and I guessed they were worried about us crashing and destroying the watch. We hit the bridge and Evra grunted.

"I hope you have something good up your sleeve!" He said.

'_Me too,' _I way up the bridge I unsheathed the dragon sword. Evra unlocked the doors and with a screech he slid to a stop with a half tail spin and we launched out. "The cars have to be on the bridge!" I screamed. The sun was disappearing behind a thick bank of black clouds and lightning flashed in the distance. Far below the bridge a river wound its way through the valley, darkening as the storm grew nearer. I could see the trailer in the distance, driving much too slow to get here before the cars did. I held the dragon sword as the first car crossed onto the bridge. Then more and more. Their headlights switched on, illuminating the bridge in bright light. I was nearly blind and my eyes watered but I raised the dragon sword above my head and waited.

_One._

_Two._

_Three. _

I screamed and brought the weapon down. The blade sank into the cement and the fire was quenched. There was a rumbling sound and then cracks appeared around the blade, splitting along the length of the bridge, racing toward the cars. They grew wider and the bridge shook. I held onto the hilt, driving it deeper and deeper. With each inch more cracks spanned across it, until the entire bridge was a mess of tiny cracks growing wider and deeper all the time. The cars kept coming and I with a horrible jolt I knew the sword wouldn't do its work before we were killed. Evra and I stood helplessly, watching the cars race toward us. The men inside wore triumphant faces and I nearly sank to the ground. Then instead of defeat, I became livid. It was a deep set fury, stronger then anything I had ever felt before. These pathetic men were going to shoot us. They would kill the rest of the Cirque Du Freak. They were going to take my body to the Lord of the Shadows when they couldn't get the watch off. And they would laugh.

"NO" I howled. I felt a pressure at the back of my skull and reached back with a fist. My eyes burned and I let go. The pressure vanished and my fist flew forward in a punch. A concussive force flew from my hand. The front row of cars crumpled like wet paper. They flipped over and over, taking out the cars behind it. I sagged to the ground, every scrap of energy leaking from my body. The bridge groaned and trembled and the middle began to bow in. Evra pulled the dragon sword out of the crumbling ground and began to drag me away. The bridge began to give way, its supports cracking and snapping in two. We cleared the edge of it and fell onto solid ground just as it collapsed entirely. With a grinding noise that nearly deafened me the bridge split in two, swallowing the cars in jagged cement jaws. Metal, cement and black cars fell toward the river. The noise went on and on until I clamped my hands over my ears. When it was all over I looked over the edge. There was nothing left spanning the gorge, except the very ends of the bridge, one of which Evra, Imoo and I sat on.

The trailer pulled up to the edge and figures spilled out. Evra pulled me upright and I waved the newly lit dragon sword in the air. We were alive. Barely. The swords power had saved us at the last second.

Evra laughed. "We did it!"

It hit me like a rush of cold water. _I hadn't been touching the sword when the cars were hit. _"Crap," I said aloud.

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**A.N. R&amp;R please!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak! :(**

**will zona: He will show up in the next 1-2 chapters :D**

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It was going on dusk the next day when we pulled in a loose circle around our next living place. A grand old house, four stories tall sat in the middle of a large clearing. Pine forest surrounded it, and at the back a river wound its way through the forest, leading to a lake about three miles away. The house itself looked like it had been through a war. Its one side was smoky black, like a fire had raged through the western half at one point. Statues decorated the house in all fashions. Gargoyles paraded on top of the gutter, looking down at us with cold stone eyes and long fangs. At the front steps two lion statues sat, one front paw raised in greeting. Climbing up the corners of the houses intricately carved snakes wound their way up to the window sills. It was a place my younger sister Annie would instantly have fallen in love with. I approached the front door with Debbie, the new recruit (who I had learned was Jared Smith) and Evanna. I placed my palm on the door and pushed. As promised, it was unlocked and the door swung inward, creaking on old hinges. The inside was surprisingly clean. A staircase wound up from the first room, disappearing upstairs into the many levels. The inside was just as fancy as the outside. The woodwork on the ceiling was done up in scenes of battle, some fanciful like men riding dragons facing down a bunch of snarling monsters.

"The man who built this place was said to have psychic abilities," Evanna commented, looking at the ceiling. "But since few believed his tales, he wove them into the house he built."

A Little Person walked past me into the house, and I noted his left hand was missing two fingers. He too looked at the ceiling and pointed at one figure in particular. I looked where he gestured and my eyes widened. Two figures stood on top of a hill, looking down at a mass of the same monsters. One of them appeared to be holding a watch, while the other wielded a flaming sword.

"Do you really think these scenes could come true?" I asked.

Evanna smiled and searched the woodwork before steering me over to a dusty corner. There was the figure of two boys, both falling into a river. Another man was in the background, his wooden face enraged. "Yes, I do," she said nonchalantly. "At least some of them anyway."

Jared wandered with his nose in the air, studying the ceiling. Several times I winced as he almost crashed into furniture. He seemed enthralled with the artwork, much more so then anyone else. I longed to keep looking at the pictures, but kept my head firmly down. I had no wish to see anymore pictures, whether they would come true or not.

The Little Person started to climb the steps and I picked up my bag, following him up the spiral stairs. Evra ran past us, throwing open the first door he came to on the second floor and gaped. Inside was a massive bedroom, and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. The bed was king sized, with pink draperies. It was obviously a girl's room and I chuckled. "Claim it Evra?" I asked.

"No thank you," Evra said and quickly left the room.

We went up to the fourth floor and I opened a door this time. It was a plain room with dark wooden floors and a large bed in the corner. A rug sat in the middle, with the picture of a blue dragon woven into it. Huge windows took up the back wall of the room and overlooked the lake, which shone gold in the setting sun. I wandered over to the window and traced the sill, where tiny dragons were carved into the stone, leaping their way along the window. I noted with faint alarm that they all had feathers, just like the dragon on my back. I turned, and the dragon on the rug had feathers too, all in varying shades of blue. Next to the bed was a nightstand and on the side closest to the bed was a place to put the dragon sword, in its sheath. "Mine," I said instantly. Something about the room clicked deep inside. I threw open the windows and stuck my head outside. Two gargoyles flanked the window.

"Its kind of ironic," Evra said exploring the room with the Little Person. "You are the son of the dragon master and you pick this room?"

I shrugged. "Apparently the guy who built this was psychic. Maybe he knew we would be coming here someday."

"But how could he possibly know you would pick this room?" Evra asked anxious.

"Does it really matter?" I asked. I went to the closest door and opened it; Evra and the Little Person crowding close behind. Nothing seemed to be amiss. It was a huge walk in, with racks of shelves and empty hangers. I went all the way to the back and pulled open a cupboard big enough to fit a TV in. Instead of the back of the closest, a tiny ladder went up into darkness. I stuck my head into the opening and looked up, but couldn't see anything. I pulled back and grinned.

"No," Evra said. "Who knows what's up there!"

I ignored the snake man and began the climb. The Little Person was the first to start up after me. Tiny pebbles and dust cascaded down and we were almost twenty feet up before Evra grumbled and started to climb. The ladder was iron, and the bolts holding it in place were well worn, but seemed to be sturdy enough. I pulled out the watch and stared. It was glowing brightly and the light was enough to illuminate the entire passageway. Ten more feet and I was pulling myself up into a room that looked like the attic. It was empty, but one more ladder was at the far end. I dashed to it and climbed up, pushing open the trapdoor. I poked my head out into the cool air and looked around. I was on the roof, almost directly above my window. Far below the Cirque Du Freak was unloading supplies and talking amongst themselves. I could see Evanna and Jared talking by a trailer, each of them holding boxes. I helped the Little Person up and then Evra. They stared around too and I held my arms up in the air, letting the wind lift me up until I felt like I might fly away. The landscape was rolling hills, pine trees, and the remnants of gardens. Something about it was bothering me, but I couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"It's a dragon!" I exclaimed. I pointed it out to the others when they gave me clueless looks. "The garden is the dragon's tail. Look at the pathways. Then the forest; see how its cut so oddly. That's the body and legs. The head is the lake! And the tiny island in the middle is the eye." I looked closer. "And the river that comes out from the lake could be the dragon breathing fire."

"Darren, first the ceiling, then your room and now this?" Evra asked uneasily. "Was this guy insane?"

"No," I said. "I think he just saw a lot more then normal people."

The Little Person turned in a slow circle, scanning the gardens and then started toward the way down. I made to follow him and then paused. I looked over the side of the roof, noting the angles of all the roofing pieces on the way down. I jumped, bouncing from piece to piece until I reached my window, pulling open the glass triumphantly. Both Evra and the Little Person looked down at me aghast and I waved up at them before climbing in the window. By the time they joined me I was outside, helping to unpack and organize the people that preferred to stay in the trailers and those that were staying inside. I carried a piece of paper from person to person, and one by one they signed their name on the inside and outside roster.

I ended up with the Little People (including Harkat), Debbie, Vancha, Evanna, and a bunch of others inside and Jared, Evra, Hans Hands, and most of the newer people outside. There was a short stampede as people ran in to claim living quarters. I carried boxes from room to room, and then dusted, pulled sheets off furniture and figured out how to turn the water and electricity on. When it was all done the house was bright and much less forbidding then it had been before. Debbie took the pink room Evra had rejected before. Evanna floated her stuff up to a room across from mine, the Little People took two adjoining rooms on the third floor and Harkat and Vancha each took rooms on the first floor. I passed Jared briefly, brushing by him on the stairs and in doing so got a strong whiff of his scent. Instantly I recoiled and hurried past him, nose wrinkling. The man smelled cold and rotten. His cheery personality was concealing something and as I got another smell of him, I vowed to find out what it was.

I was noticing that everyone had a distinct smell, even though there were so many people. Sometimes there would be multiple flowery scents, but they were so separate it was impossible to confuse them. I had already tried to smell my own armpits to find out what I smelled like, but to no avail. The Little People smelled like nothing. Literally nothing. I had followed in ones footsteps for minutes, but he left no trace of himself behind. Harkat and the Little Person with two missing fingers were the oddity though. Harkat had the faint traces of a fresh grassy scent, while the other Little Person smelled strongly of fresh rain.

It was a relief to shut my door and finally unpack my own belongings. But now that I was no longer running around, I was back to thinking about what had happened on the bridge. I kept touching the dragon sword, where it was laying on my bed. _'Perhaps the power was so great it happened without someone to release it?' _I thought and began to string up the hammock. _'But that pressure in my mind. Not a headache, there was no pain. More like I was a dam, holding back a million tons of water.' _ I let the hammock swing free and hung up my clothes in the closet, discovering a small bathroom next to it that I hadn't noticed before. I went in and shut the door, locking it tightly. Then I began to examine the dragon closely. It hadn't changed, but it was much livelier, dancing under my finger tips with purrs that rumbled in my chest. Like before I could feel where I touched the dragon, its back was my back and so on.

I was startled out of my examination by a knock on my bedroom door. I whipped my head up and promptly stumbled backward. In the mirror my eyes were glowing molten yellow. The color swirled around my iris, completely covering their natural color. I lashed out and smashed the mirror. Shards of glass went everywhere and I unlocked the door, throwing myself out. A shard of glass had landed on the floor next to me and I picked it up, slanting the glass until I saw my eyes. They were back to normal…if they had ever changed in the first place. I opened the bedroom door, trembling. "What?" I exclaimed. The Little Person with two missing fingers stood outside. His hood was down and I noticed he looked like Harkat, except his eyes were an eerie blue. The Little Person tried to peer past me, but I deftly moved to block his view. Without comment he pointed across the hall to Evannas room.

Growling, I stomped across the hall and pushed over Evannas door. What I saw inside made me gasp and then choke back a laugh. Evanna had hung up a wide array of dresses, sticking them to the walls and floor. She wandered from dress to dress, looking at them closely before shaking her head and going to the next.

"Uh, Evanna?" I asked.

Evanna turned and clicked her fingers. The dresses disappeared and she pulled me into the bedroom, sitting me on the bed. "Good he brought you." Her expression turned stern. "Desmond has requested you keep him," she pointed at the Little Person hovering in the doorway. "With you at all times. Whoever the spy is…they are becoming more forward. Nobody except yourself and Evra Von should have known you had the watch. We already know Evra is not the spy, so someone must have been following you. The Little Person will guard you."

"No!" I said angrily. "I thought Evra was going to help with that! And I am perfectly capable of watching myself."

"Mr. Tiny and I both agree you have the unfortunate quality of getting into trouble. Evra will not always be there to help you."

I scowled bitterly, knowing that arguing with the witch would be pointless. "Fine!" I almost stomped out but paused at the last second. "Do you have a pair of sunglasses I can use? I think the purge might be starting," I lied. "My eyes are really sensitive."

Evanna scrutinized me and then flicked her hand. A pair of plastic, darkly tinted glasses appeared on my face. "Is that all?" She asked.

"Is Mr. Tiny returning to his normal "form" soon? We can't put up the wards without him."

"It will be taken care of. You know I can't tell you anything Darren," Evanna said simply. "He will be back as soon as he can." She looked slyly at me. "Are you missing him?"

I scowled again and crossed my arms. "No!" Truth be told I had gotten used to his presence even if I didn't like him much. Without him around the Cirque Du Freak seemed emptier then usual. Without another word I turned and left Evannas room, hearing the faint whoosh of dresses zipping back into existence. The Little Person stepped aside and we went back downstairs for dinner, Imoo sliding down the banister after us. By the dust on his face I knew he had been exploring the depths of the house none of us could get too. I kept touching my face, making sure the sunglasses covered every inch of my eyes. I could feel them changing again the more I thought about it, and knew underneath the darkness they were glowing. I could also see through the sunglasses like they weren't even there.

Truska had cleaned off the huge dining room table and trays of food covered nearly every inch of it. Chairs were scattered about the room, grouped in clumps around more foldable tables. My mouth watered at the smell and I hurried forward with the rest of the Cirque, which were spilling into the room talking loudly. It seemed Truska had gone all out in celebration of our new campsite. I piled as much food as I could on my plate and even the Little Person seemed more animated then before. We sat down at a table near the back, and soon after Evra and Harkat joined us. We didn't talk for a long time, too busy stuffing food into our mouths. Harkat was the first to push his plate aside and lean back with a loud sigh of appreciation.

"We haven't had a feast like this in a long time," Harkat said. He deftly scooped up a hotdog, dodging Imoo who tried to hook it out of his fingers. When the monster was thwarted he huffed and pulled one of his own toward him, sitting down in the middle of the table to eat his treat.

I swallowed a mouthful of pasta and scooped up a handful of chips, passing the bowl to the Little Person, who promptly dumped the rest onto his plate. "No we haven't," I said. "This place is the first real home we have stayed in. It's a shame we can't stay here forever."

Evra took on a longing expression. "That would be nice. I've never gotten to have my own room before."

The Little Person gave me the empty bowl and I began to scoop out the crumbs, relishing the barbecue. Everything tasted stronger now, and it was all I could do not to run over and get thirds. Each flavor was stronger; it was like discovering food all over again. In the middle of every table was a soda bottle, the green fizzy liquid swaying back and forth whenever someone bumped the table. Evanna had demanded we leave it until desert, and I was eager to try it. The fizz would surely be even better now that tastes were enhanced. When she finally opened her bottle Harkat lunged forward and opened the lid, pouring a generous amount into each of our cups.

I sniffed the glass and clinked cups with Evra and Harkat. The Little Person ignored us and nudged his cup aside for more chips. I tilted back my head and slowly sipped the pop. The taste exploded in my mouth and I choked, nearly spraying the drink across the table. Bit by bit I drank until I got used to it, then downed the rest. I poured a little more and held it out to Imoo who sniffed it delicately and took a drink. His face contorted and he dashed off the table, furiously licking himself to get the taste out. I laughed and Imoo sent me a picture of me with several pasta dishes being flung in my face. I retorted with a picture of a cat carrier and Imoo puffed indignantly. The Little Person got up from the table and picked up the protesting monster and brought him back, hand feeding him bits of pasta until the creature was curled up in his lap, asleep. I took Imoo back and held him, biting back a yawn of my own. The food had left me sleepy. When the yawn did escape, the Little Person and Evra looked at me.

"That was delicious," Harkat said and stretched.

I stood up from the table and blinked. "Yes…" I said and swayed. Around the room people were slipping out of their chairs, collapsing into plates of food and crumpling onto tables. I forced my eyes to stay open and stumbled a few feet forward. Debbie was leaning against a wall, but even as I watched her eyes fluttered shut and she sank to the floor. I let out a jaw breaking yawn and fell to my knees, splaying my hands on the wooden floor. Evra hit the ground next to me, already snoring. Harkat seemed to be fighting like I was and we stared at each other. Imoo lay between us, his slumbering body looking much smaller then normal. The Little Person walked over to us and gently pushed on our shoulders. All the tension left my body and I toppled toward the floor. Before we hit the ground the Little Person grabbed our clothing and gently lowered us down. My eyes fluttered shut and I curled up, giving into the undeniable urge to rest. The Little Persons robes brushed over my outstretched hand, and then I fell asleep.

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**R&amp;R please! Free cookies to anyone who does**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I will never own Cirque Du Freak.**

**A.N. Steve will be showing up soon I promise! Who do you all think Mr. Tiny is disguised as? No hints for you on this :P . And any ideas who the spy is? Hint: Its not a Little Person.**

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The feeling of cold hands gently patting my face was enough to rouse me from sleep and I opened my eyes to see the Little Person crouching next to me; alternating between lightly slapping me on the cheek to hitting Evra and Harkat. I sat up woozily, the room spinning for several alarming seconds. My sunglasses were skewed, hanging by one ear and I quickly readjusted them. All around the room people were slowly waking up in various states. Some were furiously wiping food off their faces while others looked confused or concerned. I pulled myself upright and wobbled over to the window, completely unsurprised to see the wards shining around the house and gardens. I unlatched the window and leaned out, sniffing the air. The smell of ocean flowed around the house. The dragon arched up my back and its tail flicked out from underneath my shirt sleeve excitedly. We had slept through the night and part of the morning.

"Would it hurt him to tell us what he is doing just once?" I exclaimed.

Evra hadn't seemed to hear me. His head was turned toward a conversation on the other side of the room and even as I watched him his expression turned livid. "Its common knowledge that Mr. Tiny is looking for a spy!" He hissed. "Somehow it got out!"

The Little Person snapped his head toward Evra and I saw one of his fists clench.

I sat down and put my head in my hands. "Does that mean he will be abandoning the mission?" I wondered out loud.

Evra threw up his hands. "I don't know. Probably not because no one knows who he is disguised as." He leaned close to me and said quietly: "But if I wanted to make him give up that information, I would go after his children."

I absently reached out toward a long abandoned piece of pizza and the plastic dish shot into my hand from two feet away. I jumped and slammed my hand down on the plate when it got to me and flicked my eyes toward the others. They hadn't noticed. "Evanna doesn't have to worry about anything," I said, hoping I didn't look as guilty as I looked.

"Unfortunately you do," Harkat said, chiming into the conversation. He gave me an odd look and I slowly lifted my hand off the plate, sighing in relief when it didn't move.

"I can take care of myself," I said forcefully.

"Yes but you do have a distinct lack of magic," Evra said offhandedly.

' I slanted my eyes at him. He and I hadn't talked about the bridge, but questions were clear in his eyes. I stood up, pushing my chair away from the table with a loud clang and stalked off. Magic. The word covered such a broad array of things that it was impossible to identify what was going on with me. I got the mental image of Mr. Tiny waving a wand around and snorted. That seemed less then likely. He had his watch, but that didn't seem to be the source of the power. I had never seen Evanna bring out an object when she casually rearranged furniture or helped heal injuries. Maybe the dragon was the answer.

I only came back to myself when I tripped over a step and realized I was in front of my room. The Little Person and Evra were dogging my footsteps and I grudgingly allowed them inside, only remembering the broken mirror when I crunched over it on the way to the bathroom. "It was an accident," I said before Evra could say a word. I picked up one of the shards and brought it with me, pulling up my sunglasses as I went. When I tilted the piece, there was nothing but normal eye color.

With Evra and the Little Persons help I piled the glass in a corner of the bathroom. Then they sat on the bed, with me swinging gently in the hammock. I rolled over and lay on my stomach to watch the pair. I studied the Little Person for awhile. He was like Harkat; he carried himself differently, and acted more aware then the others. But he still hadn't spoken.

"I didn't mean to bother you," Evra said finally. "It's not bad you don't have magic." By his expression he didn't believe a word he was saying and I hoped the Little Person didn't pick up on it.

I grunted, continuing the pretense of being mad. "Whatever. We can talk about it later. Right now we need to find out who the spy is."

For the next two hours we talked. We went over wilder and wilder theories, some of which had even the Little Person shaking his head in disbelief. I listed name after name, some I didn't even know and Evra shook them off one by one. Too young, or too old. Not in the right place at the right time. The one name I almost said, but didn't was Vancha's. The idea was painful and while I knew the Prince hated me, I still had doubts that he would betray the entire Cirque Du Freak. Just as I was mulling this over, said Prince sauntered in the door, bouncing it off the wall. I rolled out of the hammock and landed on the floor. Evra jumped, while the Little Person didn't react.

"Have a nice sleep?" Vancha asked, chewing on his fingernails. He walked over to the window and opened it, spitting into the sun. "Figures that I woke up face first in salad."

"Sorry to hear that," I said.

Vancha squeezed between Evra and I, pushing me into the Little Person. "So Darren, did your dear old dad tell you that we were all going to be drugged? Because you ended up in an _awfully_ comfortable position." His shruikens dangled dangerously close to my face and I leaned away.

"No," I said.

"Hmm…that's a pity. Are you angry that Daddy didn't tell you all his plans then?" Vancha asked gleefully.

"No," I said blandly. On the other side of Vancha Evra had his fists clenched. Behind me the Little Person had his hands bunched into the back of my shirt like he thought I might lunge at the vampire.

"He sends you a Little Person to guard you though. That's very fatherly of him," Vancha said. "But he probably thinks of you more as a liability, and knows you can't even protect yourself! He must be worried about you botching up the mission."

With two quick punches I slammed Vancha into the floor and gripped the skin of his throat with my teeth. When he tried to move I sank my canines in a little deeper. Behind my sunglasses my eyes burned yellow and I growled warningly. "Stay away from me or you won't like the consequences," I warned. Only when Vancha went completely limp did I step back and stand, giving him enough room to get up. But instead of walking away Vancha whipped his hand forward, backhanding me across the face and hit me down the side with a shruiken. Blood dripped from my eyebrow and I was about to turn and ignore the man when I felt a ghost pain around my knee. Vancha hadn't hit me. He had hit the _dragon_. I snarled; the sound echoing throughout the room so loudly Vancha stepped backwards. Hurting me was one thing, but the dragon was something else altogether. I hit Vancha in the chest with enough force to break bones and propelled him through the open door and into the hallway. I slammed a foot down on his hand when he fell and I heard bones snap.

The Little Person and Evra came up behind me and each of them grabbed one of my arms, yanking me off before I sank my teeth into Vancha's neck. They pulled me back through the doorway and Vancha got up. He shot me an angry, terrified look and hurried down the steps.

"Darren what were you thinking?" Evra cried.

I wiped the blood off my chin and kept my gaze on the doorway. "Now he will stay away from me. At least for a little while," I snapped. Hidden from the others was my own fear. I had wanted to kill Vancha. If he had run I would have chased him down and ripped him from limb to limb without a second thought because he had touched the dragon. Evra and the Little Person had kept me from committing a gruesome murder. I shuddered and pulled away from them, clambering back into the hammock.

"Get out!" I screamed when Evra's voice gave me a pounding headache. I heard them leave and I clamped my hands over my ears. Whether it was seconds or hours later I didn't know, but I felt hands pull my own from my ears. Evra looked at me in concern and I hung my head. "Sorry…" I muttered.

Evra nodded in acceptance and I relaxed slowly. "What is it?" I asked.

"You've been in here for almost an hour and a half."

I didn't have anything to say about that.

"But I was asking Evanna about magic while you were…busy," Evra commented.

My head shot up in alarm. "What!" I was still in denial about having it, but I knew that couldn't go on much longer.

"Don't worry," Evra said reassuringly. "She doesn't suspect anything. Now do you want to hear what I found out or not?"

I sighed. "Yes, I do."

"Evanna said that Mr. Tiny is a force of nature. In extent his children are too and without extensive training in control they can cause huge destruction. Emotions fuel a magician, especially when they first get magic. Anger, fear and hatred are the prime ones to cause magic to go haywire. The magic is also different depending on whether you are male or female and when either loose control different things happen. The most common things for males is becoming violent and animal like, changing the weather and shapeshifting." Evra paused to take a breath and my stomach tightened. "Mr. Tiny is like a stabilizer for his kids. The longer you are away from him the harder it will be to keep control. Evanna said in the beginning she couldn't be away from him more then a few days. It takes a simple touch and your magic calms down. But if you are already out of control it takes a bit more then that. She said most of the time its easier to keep the person out of anyone's way and let them work out the anger on their own, and then relax their magic when they are exhausted." Evra continued over my protests. "Every magician has a dragon on him, which is most commonly mistaken for a very well done tattoo. The type of dragon is unique to the person," here he gave me a look. "And for someone with little to no training they will be very protective of it, to the point of committing physical violence."

I slumped over and put my head in my hands. "Just great," I moaned.

"How long has it been since you last saw Mr. Tiny?" Evra asked.

"Almost two weeks," I said reluctantly. "But I've had the dragon since I got poisoned." Even admitting that I had a dragon was a gut wrenching thing to do. "Shouldn't I be rampaging around by now?" I asked, still hunched over in a tight ball.

Evra looked thoughtful. "Maybe the dragon was damaged by the poisoning too and it's just now returning to full health."

"How much time do I have?" I asked, fearing the answer.

Evra shook his head. "It's impossible to say. Evanna is a female so her magic works differently. You could have hours or weeks. And you need to keep your emotions under control." He looked worried. "Evanna did say one more thing. If for some reason Mr. Tiny was not aiding in keeping the magic under control, it would result in a spectacular show of power that would end very badly for whomever it was directed at."

I immediately thought about how I had almost killed Vancha and winced.

"You need to tell Evanna," Evra said. "Toward the end of your limits you could kill one of your best friends and be so caught up into the power you wouldn't care."

"No!" I shouted. "She would tell Mr. Tiny!" I got up and paced around the room. "Don't you think he would have a fit? This wasn't supposed to happen! This is a physical impossibility! No magic should exist within me!" I shuddered. "Maybe he does know and is waiting for me to come running to him, to be dependent on him for help. I can't take that chance."

"I don't think he is doing that," Evra said. "He wouldn't have any idea you even have magic unless you used it in front of him."

I rolled my eyes. "Do you really think _Mr. Tiny_ has no other way to tell these things?" I was in complete and utter shock. Magic_. _I had magic. Part of me wanted to run screaming to Evanna and beg for help. The other half wanted to keep it a secret, covet it and guard it until I took my last breath. I reached a hand under my shirt, no longer shy about doing so in front of Evra and petted the dragon. It purred and my chest rumbled. I could tell it was thrilled about finally being known for what it was. I was furious with myself for being afraid at how Mr. Tiny would react when he finally found out. (I was under no delusion that I could keep this between Evra and me forever). Would he be thrilled? Or would he become enraged and kill me, mad that his spells to keep magic from me had failed? I looked at my hands, half expecting them to start glowing.

"I won't say anything for now," Evra said reluctantly. "But if you become dangerous I am going to say something."

I nearly hugged him. "Thank you." I raised my head, looking at him through my fringe of hair. "Will you help me?" I pleaded. "I can't do this alone."

"Of course I will," Evra said firmly. "I think you need to tell me everything that's happened so far though."

So I told him. About the poisoning and the dragon appearing. About the way it had grown and changed, and how protective I was becoming of it. How the bridge had caved in without me touching the sword. And just how close I'd come to killing Vancha. It didn't matter that Evra had been there for some of it; he seemed to want to hear it recounted again.

"The bridge was probably an example of you loosing control," Evra said after a little while.

"Which makes sense," I said thoughtfully. "I was pretty angry." I moved to the window, looking at the island in the middle of the lake. "Maybe I should try to use magic again, but under a more controlled setting?" The idea was terrifying, but I longed to touch the power again, now that I knew what it was. "Maybe over there?" I pointed at the island.

Evra joined me and for a moment I thought he was going to refuse, but he nodded slowly. "Yeah, that looks like a good place. We just have to loose the Little Person first."

"Tonight after sundown then," I said impatiently.

The bedroom door swung open and I jumped, expecting Vancha to come roaring through but it was only the Little Person, carrying a tray of sandwiches. I hadn't realized just how hungry I was and I grabbed two off the platter. Evra and I exchanged excited and nervous looks over our food. Evra looked slightly nauseous at the idea of provoking my magic, while I sat there, foot tapping up and down wildly. Imoo walked into the room a few minutes later, his stomach bulging. He jumped into my lap and I vented all my excitement, frustration and nervousness to him in the form of half formed sentences and pictures.

**'Do you think it's a good idea?' **I asked Imoo after finally calming down.

_**'I think you are playing with fire,' **_was the response. '_**You should tell the witch before doing anything stupid.' **_

**'I cant!' **I shouted mentally**. 'She would tell Mr. Tiny and I have no idea what his reaction will be.' **

_**'They are family, and both have shown they do care about you. Do you really think Mr. Tiny would kill you? I truly believe he has changed, or is well on the way to doing so.' **_

I munched on another sandwich, mulling over Imoo's words. Evra was staring at me and I could tell he knew what Imoo and I were talking about. He didn't say a word, but I could see him staring at the exposed skin on my arms, like he was waiting for the dragon to pop its head out and say "boo!" **'Mr. Tiny knows I hate him. Why would he offer me any help when he has that knowledge?' **

_**'Because he is your father. And can you say you hate him now?' **_

**'Hate is a strong word,' **I said grudgingly**. 'Dislike him yes. Trust him? Certainly not. But hate…no not anymore.' **I ran my fingers down Imoo's back, scratching into the blackness that was becoming more like fur every day. **'I would run to the opposite end of the earth if he found out about the dragon.' **

Imoo purred loudly, but his mental words were serious. _**'He would follow you.' **_

**'Because of the magic,' I thought bitterly. **

_** 'He was not aware of your magic when you got poisoned. He sat by your bed for days, and never left. Evanna brought him food and drink. In the aftermath of your seizures he would read to you out of whatever book he conjured up. I have never seen that man care about any one person like that before.' **_

My fingers stilled in Imoo's fur. **'He was reading to me when I woke up,'**I remembered. A trail of thought came back and I blushed**.**_** '**_**I asked him if he could teleport.' **I frowned at the top of Imoo's head. **'When did you meet Mr. Tiny before?' **Imoo froze in my lap and then made to leap away. I grabbed his scruff and pulled him back in place. **'Tell me what you meant,'** I ordered.

Imoo growled in my mind and then spoke. Each word was dragged from him slowly and it sounded like it caused him physical pain.** '**_**I used to be somebody else. Every shadow is a person who died, brought back to be a puppet in the Lord of the Shadows game. He only brings back those who died with unfinished business, something he can use to turn us into hate filled monsters.' **_

**'Who are you?'** I asked breathlessly.

Imoo turned his head and gave a long, slow wink. **'**_**That is a story for another time Shan**_**,' **He leapt off my lap and stretched, batting at the Little Person's robes. _**'Call me when you go to use magic. An event like that is not to be missed.' **_

I watched Imoo high step out of the bedroom and thoughtfully grabbed another sandwich. "Did you know that the shadows used to be people?" I asked out loud. It was always a shock to go from conversing mentally to out loud.

The Little Person shot his head up and stared at me.

"No, I didn't," Evra said and gazed at the spot where Imoo used to be.

"Apparently the Lord of the Shadows only brings back those who have unfinished business. He uses that and turns them into monsters."

Evra let out a long sigh and shook his head mournfully. "Did he tell you who he was?"

"No. But he used to know Mr. Tiny that was clear. He let that slip."

"You were talking about Mr. Tiny?" Evra asked, raising his eyebrows.

I huffed indignantly. "Imoo was telling me things I needed to know."

Evra nodded in acceptance. We sat on the bed for a long time until Evra looked like he was going to explode from boredom. He threw his hands up in the air and paced back and forth, like he was working on an idea but not ready to share it. I watched him until my neck hurt from turning it. "There is nothing against having fun with each other," he murmured.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" I asked.

"Do you agree we need to liven up the camp?" Evra asked. "To try and get attention off Mr. Tiny and his mission as much as possible?"

"Yes," I said tentatively not sure I wanted to hear what Evra had in mind. His expression was telling me it would also draw attention off us sneaking away to practice magic.

Looking positively wicked Evra leaned over to whisper something in my ear and my own face lit up with a devilish smirk. "_I do declare a prank war!_"

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**R&amp;R please? :D**

**If you have any suggestions for pranks let me have them lol. I already have a few but more is always welcome. **


	16. Chapter 15-Wrath of the Gerbils

**A.N. Yep, I have started to name my chapters now. Don't question it :D Since I am now giving them names do you want the name of the next chapter each time I update or leave it a total surprise? **

**will zona: Thanks for all the reviews they mean alot :) **

**gandalfstyle: What's your guess on who he is? **

**Guest: Yes he is! He is one of my favorite characters to write. **

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Unluckily Evra and I could not put the prank war into effect for three more days, and as a result we did not go to the island. Evra had claimed the honor of pulling the first joke, and spent much of the evenings locked in his room; I could hear him sniggering quietly whenever I passed. But this morning Evra looked even more jittery then usual and I knew whatever he had planned was finished and lay in wait for some doomed person. He told me that the prank wasn't for me, so I was hanging on the outskirts of lunch, eyeing everything in sight for something suspicious.

Jared joined me by the tables and eyed us with an odd expression, like he was trying to work something out but couldn't. "What are you two up to?" He asked.

"Nothing!" Evra and I said together, and much too quickly. Evra clamped his hand over his mouth, trying to stifle giggles as he looked at something across the room. I followed his gaze and raised my eyebrows. Evanna was making a cup of tea while she talked to Debbie.

"You didn't," I said. Together Evra, Jared and I watched Evanna, but Jared looked perplexed at our interest in the witch. Evanna poured hot water into the cup and set the bags in. She turned her back on it and resumed talking to Debbie. By now my lips were twitching, even though I had no idea when the prank would come into effect. Tricking Evanna was a hard thing to do and if Evra managed it he would become an instant legend.

Evanna went back to the tea and pulled the bags out; wrapping her hands around the cup. Evra and I leaned forward. Evanna brought the cup to her lips and then paused when Debbie said something obviously amusing. Then she nodded and sipped. Nothing happened. Evra was still poised on the edge of his feet and he didn't look disappointed so I looked back. Evannas attention was back on Debbie and I squinted at her cup. Something in it moved, flicking around the edge and then disappearing back into the liquid.

"Oh no," I said. "What did you do?"

Evanna drank again, this time for much longer. But when she moved to set the cup down a tiny head peeked over the edge of the cup. Imoo ran up to her and sat on the table, eyeing the cup. A gerbil stared at Evanna with bright eyes and the witch stared back. The gerbil squeaked and jumped to the floor. Imoo made to chase it, but paused when another gerbil climbed out of the cup. And then another. And another. A wave of gerbils flowed out of the cup and onto the floor like a moving rug. Evanna dropped the cup but they kept coming, dashing toward the other members of the Cirque Du Freak.

I doubled over laughing, and then yelled when a gerbil tried to climb up my pant leg. I climbed up onto the table and was quickly joined by Jared and Evra. Evra was laughing so hard tears were streaming out of his eyes. Jared looked to be in a state of permanent shock.

Imoo bounced in and out of the horde of gerbils, trying to scoop them out of the pack. But he too was overwhelmed and vanished underneath them.

'_**What is this!'**_his panicked voice said through the bond._ '__**What are these horrendous creatures?'**_

Evanna smoothly waded through the gerbils which were banging off the walls to find an escape route. The entire Cirque Du Freak was standing on tables, the buffet table and chairs. Most of them were laughing.

I leapt from table to table and leaned over, opening the dining room door. The gerbils streamed toward the exit and I fell, writhing in the mass of tiny creatures as they dodged over and around me. Jared looked at me and then started to laugh. I huffed at him and then fought toward the front door. Imoo was brought along with me, lying on the back of several of them. His eyes were blown wide in horror. Taking pity, I scooped him up and tucked him into my shirt. I opened the front door and a wall of gerbils pushed me outside. They shot down the front walk and out of the wards, running over a darkly clothed man that was walking toward us. He fell under the onslaught and only his hands, furiously trying to get them off could be seen.

"Forget vampires!" Evra said through another round of laughter. "We just need an army of gerbils!"

My lips twitched and then I started to laugh again.

"You have a couple of stragglers," Evra pointed, still giggling.

I turned and, hanging by threads on Mr. Crepsley's cloak were five gerbils. They stared balefully at me when I shook them off. Imoo hissed at them and they took off toward the rest of their brethren.

'_**In all my days I have never faced anything that terrible,' **_Imoo said.

'_**You are scared of gerbils!' **_I said amused.

'_**No I am most certainly not!' **_Imoo said emphatically.

'_**Then why are you still in my shirt?' **_

Imoo sent me a mental scowl and then slid out of my shirt, landing on the ground in a little puff of dust. There, on his tail was a tiny gerbil, holding on with its front teeth. He yowled and dashed away, whipping the tail and the poor gerbil over his head like a flag.

Evanna came up at my shoulder. "You should go rescue our visitor," she suggested after I managed to stop laughing.

"Commence the prank war!" Evra said, running up to us. He looked delighted and I made a mental note to ask him how exactly he had gotten a hold of the magic to make the gerbils.

Evanna narrowed her eyes challengingly. "Really?" She said. "In that case I suppose I must lay the next trap." She hummed to herself and walked away, but not before I heard her say quietly. "This is going to be fun!"

Imoo ran by again, still held captive by the gerbil. _**'Help me!' **_ He begged.

'**You should keep it. The gerbil brings out the color of your fur,**' I said innocently.

'_**The teeth! You would leave an old man to die by rodent?' **_

'**Oh so you are old then?' **I said.

'_**Old to one is young to another,' **_Imoo said. _**'Now get it off!' **_

Taking pity I caught the monster and gently pried the gerbil off. It squeaked and I handed it to Evra. "A souvenir," I said and set Imoo down. He ran a short distance away and began to copiously groom his entire tail.

'_**Go on without me, I must rid myself of gerbil essence.' **_

I rolled my eyes and walked through the wards to the spot where the man had been. There was nothing to be seen except the last scurrying animals and a partly chewed note. It was written in a vaguely familiar scrawl, but I couldn't place it. The paper looked like what the vampaneze used to send us reports.

In the few hours I have to control myself, I came to warn you. But it seemed you were otherwise occupied. The Lord of the Shadows knows how to bring shadows back into human form, but it costs him greatly to do so. I am one of the "honored" few to have such a body.

Here the words became smudged and messy, like the owner was hurrying to finish.

I have become his right hand man so to speak. He pulled me from the Lake of Souls along with-

The words were covered in stains, but the last sentence was legible.

Brother if we meet on the battlefield kill me.

I lowered the paper slowly and sank to the ground, crinkling the paper in my fist. I knew the writing now. It was the kind of scrawl that people wrote when they couldn't be bothered to make it neater. It was the writing I'd seen on homework next to me since I was a teenager. My brother, Steve Leopard was back from the dead. I bowed my head and a single tear trickled down my cheek. The writing wasn't written by the mad killer I knew. It was the hurried work of fear and desperation. I traced the letters and wondered who else the Lord of the Shadows had brought back with Steve. Strangely enough all I could think about was that Steve had gotten run over by a bunch of gerbils. I laughed.

'_**Who is the note from?' **_Imoo asked, creeping up behind me.

I quickly stuffed the note in a pocket, careful not to tear it.**'An old friend,'**I said.

'_**Which old friend?' **_Imoo shot back a hint of dread in his voice.

'**The one I haven't truly known since I was fifteen,"**I said wearily, trying not to think of Steve's name, but it leaked through the bond.

Imoo hissed loudly and his eyes blazed with the same light I had only seen when he was still a monster. He turned and faced the forest, his claws unsheathing.

'**No!" **I cried and snatched Imoo up**. **He fought for a moment then went limp, his tail curling around my arm.

'_**I apologize. Steve Leopard has brought only pain and death to this world.' **_

I scowled.**'Steve was brilliant in school. He was a good friend before Mr. Tiny twisted him. He may have been a darker person, but he had a soft spot too.'**

'_**You can not give a good opinion on Leopard because you used to care for him,' **_Imoo said simply_**. 'It twists your judgment.' **_

'**And what of you? Doesn't your hatred of Steve twist things around? Did he stay and wait to kill me here? No. Mr. Crepsley and the other hunters only saw him as the Vampaneze Lord, a monster to be vanquished. But I knew him first as the angry, lonely boy in elementary school,' **I said, sitting down on a tree trunk back in the safety of the wards. **'Would Steve Leopard have warned us about what the Lord of the Shadows is doing?' **I brought out the paper and showed it to Imoo who scanned the paper up and down. **'The writing looks strained, like he is fighting against something. He asked me to kill him. I don't think the old Steve wrote these words.' **

'_**I will believe nothing until I see Leopard bow down and beg for mercy. Even then I will probably be inclined to chop his head off.' **_

I dropped Imoo on the ground and stalked away. The bond filled with my annoyance and hurt. **'Mr. Crepsley and Vancha acted the same way as you. Once Steve was a good man. He could still become that again and I will respect that no matter what anyone else thinks.' **

'_**As you wish,' **_Imoo said finally.

Knowing that was the best answer I was going to get I dropped the conversation.

That night Evra knocked on my door and I opened it, shifting from foot to foot in nervous anticipation. I was dressed in a loose red tee and jeans; Mr. Tiny's watch hanging visibly around my neck. My leather armor lay on the bed with both swords beside it. The moon was high in the sky and the clock read 1:00 AM. We were both a little tired, but not overly so. In the past we had pulled all nighters multiple times so this wasn't a big deal. Our only worry was getting to the island without being mauled by shadows. Evra didn't think they knew where we were quite yet, so hopefully tonight would be peaceful.

"Did anyone hear you?" I asked quietly, clicking the door shut.

"No, only Jared was in the kitchen getting a late snack. I pretended to want the same thing and took some chips," Evra said and held up a bag. He carried a sack on his shoulder and the glint of weapons peeked out from within.

Together we suited up, strapping leather armor and weapons on. The dragon sword shone dully and I felt a rush holding the weapon so strong I nearly dropped it. I hadn't worn the sword since that day on the bridge, leery of something else happening but now that I knew it was magic I had no problem strapping it back on. The weight on both sides was comforting. I left Mr. Crepsley's cloak hanging on the back of the door; I had no idea what my magic would trigger and I didn't want to risk the cloak turning into ash or something just as bad. I also grabbed a bag and slid a sunglass case, water and the chips Evra had brought inside. The entire evening the dragon had been spinning in excited circles around my back and blowing puffs of smoke. I had to change my shirt twice because of the black marks on the sleeves. Imoo had already left for the island; insisting he wanted to scout ahead.

"Take your sunglasses off," Evra said while I unlatched the window and looked outside. "You don't need to hide behind them right now."

I knew my eyes were already bright yellow so I hesitated before sliding them down my nose and putting them in the bag. The moment they were all the way off I gasped. The world shone in bright hues, colors shining even in the darkness. I had night vision. I looked out the window and the wards nearly blinded me. I slammed the glasses back on. "I will take them off when we get past the wards. They are too bright," I explained.

Evra nodded. He hadn't seemed to be bothered about my eyes at all which helped to alleviate some of the fear. He swung his bag out and hung it on the gargoyles head. I did the same and we stepped out onto the thin window ledge. The cool night air was refreshing and beside me Evra was shaking, but I could smell his emotions and he was growing more and more excited instead of scared. Carefully we climbed down the side of the house, using gargoyles and looser shingles for handholds. Whenever we passed windows we held our breaths. Our feet touched ground and then we were racing, racing through long dewy grass and past the wards, into the forest beyond. Right into the dragons belly. I ripped my sunglasses off and threw them carelessly into the bag, which was bouncing on my hip. My eyes glowed and I looked through the trees, seeing the reflective eyes of creatures looking back. They all raced away from us and our path ahead cleared.

"Which way?" Evra panted after several minutes of blindly running through the trees.

I sniffed the air and turned in a slow circle, trying to pinpoint the smell of water. "Here!" I said and took off, barely remembering to slow my pace for the snake man.

We broke through the trees and onto the lake shore; wetting our toes before we stopped. The beach was calm and the water like liquid silver, the moon reflecting in its depths. I waded in to knee height and shivered; the island was only about a hundred yards out but the swim would be brutal. I threw my bag onto shore and, exchanging looks Evra and I dove in. The water was like an electric shock, the cold taking my breath away. I worried for Evra, and grabbed onto his arm, holding him close to me as we swam. I cut through the lake with one arm, my eyes cutting through the water below with bright eyes. Fish swam around us, darting close and then away in sporadic movements. Something at the bottom of the lake glittered, and I longed to dive and explore but the cold weighing at my bones and Evra's shivers kept me going forward. I clambered out onto the island, gripping huge tree roots to pull ourselves out. The water fell away from us and the air warmed around our skin. Evra touched his clothing and then mine in disbelief.

"We aren't wet," he said in shock.

I looked down at my feet and watched the last drops of liquid roll off my skin. I touched one of the drops and pinched it between my thumb and forefinger, picking it up gently. Instead of collapsing the drop stayed together and I rolled it on my palm. It was no bigger then a pearl and felt smooth and cold. I let it go and watched it slowly roll back into the lake with a tiny plop. "I guess we don't have to worry about the swim," I said. I turned back to the island and studied it carefully. It was small; no bigger then half a mile across and huge trees ran around most of the outside. The further in we walked the more quiet the island became. It felt like we were intruding on something that only a select few should view. In the exact middle of the island was a small clearing about thirty feet wide. At one side was an oak tree that was wider then Evra and I wrapped around it, arms outstretched. Painted on the trunk in worn flecks of blue paint was a dragon. It was climbing the trunk, one clawed foot wrapped out the lowest branch while another was reached out toward something. Hundreds of blue shades made up its body, accenting the feathers that covered it instead of scales. Its head was pointed into the distance, where in a gap through the trees you could see the lake shining.

"He knew we would come here," I said. "Somehow, impossibly, he knew."

Evra stared reverently at the dragon, but made no move to touch it. Instead he pointed at a spot in the middle of the dragons curling tail. "What is that?" He asked.

I leaned down and saw what was left of a handprint drawn in light green paint. I placed my hand over the mark and a light tingling sensation ran up my hand. "I think it's his mark," I said and pulled back my hand, pointing at the dragon. "That's my dragon down to the very last detail." I shook my head. "I don't know how it lasted so long out here." A tail whipped out from my shirt sleeve and then the dragon curled up my arm, slowly coming out into the night air. Its head spread up my fingers, the tail draping around my neck and shoulders. It purred loudly, pleased at finally having freedom. I touched it lightly, running my fingers up and down the feathered back and arched my own in relief. Evra stood silently, aware that to move would scare the dragon away. I reunited with it slowly and soon both of us were rumbling happily as I scratched it behind two tiny horns.

"Can I touch it?" Evra asked, like he was talking to a wild animal.

I whipped my head up and stared at him warily. I didn't know if Evra knew the extent of what he was asking or not. Touching the dragon was touching the deepest part of me, the worst and best part, the most vulnerable and angry. It was like a newborn child. After much deliberation I slowly held out my hand and offered the dragons head. I hung there, growing more anxious the closer Evra's trembling hand grew. Evra stopped inches from my skin and waited for me to touch him. I grabbed his forearm and stretched my own out, pressing them together before I could loose my nerve. If I didn't let someone touch it now, I never would. The feeling of another person on the dragon was startling and unpleasant. But Evra quickly ran the soft tips of his fingers over the dragon's side, and I froze. It was an odd feeling, having fingers trace up your side when they were on your arm. Not being the cause of it was another worry, but Evra was gentle. Thirty seconds later I withdrew and the dragon vanished into my shirt, flicking his tail once at Evra.

"Did I do something wrong?" Evra asked, hurt at my abrupt change.

"No," I said and tried to reassure him. "I just had enough for now." I didn't tell him that the fierce protectiveness had returned and I was likely to bite his hand off if he tried to touch it anymore.

Evra looked relieved and quickly got back on track. "Alright. Magic. How do you trigger it?" He asked, going into teacher mode.

"I have no idea. It just happens without any warning. I wasn't even thinking about staying dry in the lake," I said.

"What were you thinking about?"

"You freez-oh," I said in revelation.

"See you did want us to stay dry," Evra said. "Now you really need to want something now."

I didn't get a chance to respond because Imoo slammed into my back and climbed onto my shoulder, purring loudly. _**'What took you so long,' **_he complained_**. 'I chased every squirrel on this forsaken place!' **_

'**We have been here for almost twenty minutes already," **I said amused.

'_**Have you accomplished anything?' **_Imoo asked, lashing his tail back and forth.

'**Not yet,' **I said.

'_**Then why are you standing around Shan?' **_

I set Imoo down and gestured to a rock. **'Sit there. If you get roasted it's not my fault.' **

I closed my eyes and planted my bare feet into the ground. Leaves rustled in a gust of wind and Evra's breathing slowed to an even pace. Imoo shifted every so often on his rock. I reached for the same power I'd felt on the bridge and tried to grasp it, but every time it slipped free. Frustrated I tried again. The noise and smells were becoming overpoweringly distracting and I opened my eyes, nearly growling. Evra took a step backward and then his mouth twisted into a smile. I couldn't see anything different about the clearing and I stared at him blankly. Then I felt something different about my mouth. I licked my lips and my tongue lapped around…fangs? My canines had lengthened into four inch, wickedly sharp fangs, while my other teeth had sharpened into an unnaturally pointed shape. I held my hands up, nearly clawing my face off. My hands had changed too. My nails had grown too, into a much tougher blacker material, and were curved into claws. Around each joint on my hand tiny blue scales had grown. "Whoa," I said, my voice coming out much deeper then normal. I touched my face, careful not to cut myself and found around the corners of my eyes the same scales had grown. Evra clapped and I turned to him, cocking my head in interest. For a brief moment I wavered on attacking him, then remembered he was a friend and instead sat on my heels, slicing through the grass. As quickly as the change had come it was fading away; the claws shrinking back into normal fingernails. The scales vanished and last to go was my fangs. I pulled back my lips while my teeth returned to normal size.

'_**Very good,' Imoo said. **_Strangely I felt a burst of pride at the praise, knowing that such words came few and far between from the monster.

Evra only looked troubled. "You shouldn't be able to do that yet," he said.

I frowned. "But I did," I said defiantly. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yes and no," Evra said.

"What do you mean?" I asked crossly.

"From what Evanna said a beginner should take weeks to do anything other then accidental stuff. Except for when they are close to loosing control. For a few days leading up to that they gain almost exceptional ability over their magic and then it collapses."

A chill ran down my spine and I looked at my hands, no longer excited. "Oh."

"Exactly," Evra said. "At least we know what you look like when you change though. It's actually scary looking. Like a cross between a dragon and a wolf."

"I don't think I was done changing. It felt like I still had more to go, but the power left," I said, not commenting on the fact I had considered Evra prey.

"You should be glad it left. In about a week it will never leave until Mr. Tiny balances it out," Evra said warningly.

"But I still did it," I said, the excitement coming back. "I used magic on purpose this time!"

"You may be in the running for king of the prank war if you can figure out how to use it for pranks," Evra said, looking a bit happier before he turned serious again. "I think it would be in your best interest to find out who Mr. Tiny is disguised as. Even if you don't tell him and let your magic blow up," here he gave me a disapproving look. ", it would be a good idea to know and be close to him when you feel out of control."

"How?" I asked. "Nobody has given any clues that they aren't who they say they are."

Together we walked back to the lake edge, Imoo walking sedately beside us. We slipped back into the water and this time I held onto Imoo too as we swam. Just like before we all climbed out, the water rolling off us. I picked up the bags and munched on chips on the way back.

"Well you could…" Evra fell silent. "I have no idea."

I laughed, but quickly fell silent as we passed back through the wards. I climbed up the side of the house, weariness tugging at my eyelids. The dragon was slumbering on my back. Evra gave the rest of the chips to Imoo and changed out of the armor. I did the same and cleaned all the dirt off, hiding any evidence of our trip. Right before Evra went back to his room he gave me a quick smile and thumbs up. Then he was gone, vanishing into the dark hallway. I didn't even make it into the hammock, just collapsing on the bed and falling asleep with Imoo resting beside me.

* * *

**R&amp;R please? *gives cookies* **


	17. Chapter 16-Mind Tricks

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak.**

**A.N. I can't tell you how much I love all of the reviews! It keeps me going even when I get stuck in the story :) **

**Ansy: **Darren and Steve's meeting will be very...interesting. And of course it won't go as planned!

**Guest: **Please tell me if you were right about Imoo when his identity is revealed :3

**Hunter Re:** I can't tell you! But there won't be much more waiting to find out.

* * *

Evra shot through the bedroom door, not bothering to wait for me to open my eyes before he pulled me out of bed and shoved me into the bathroom. "Get dressed quick!" He yelped. "Evanna is organizing something outside and she wants everyone out there in five minutes." He handed me a bagel and ran away, presumably to wake up more people.

I forced my eyes to open and splashed water on my face, noting absentmindedly that the mirror was no longer shattered on the floor. I changed into a green shirt and a different pair of pants before sleepily making my way downstairs, eating the bagel as I went. All my muscles ached like I'd run to Vampire Mountain and back without stopping. When I finally made it outside, I realized I'd forgotten to put on armor, weapons and shoes! Evanna and most of the Cirque Du Freak were gathered close to the edge of the wards, all of them except the witch looking tired and confused. I was tempted to look at my watch, but didn't want to confirm what I already knew: It was way too early. I stopped next to Debbie and Jared who were both holding toast. Jared handed me a piece and I took it gratefully, sitting beside him on the long bench that had appeared out of nowhere. I was slowly getting used to his odd scent, and since I never smelled any dark emotions directed at us I had grown to like the man, even if I kept myself reserved around him.

"This morning we will be doing team exercises," Evanna announced. "You will be doing it in pairs, which I will tell you shortly." She held up handfuls of cloth, torn into long strips. Symbols were etched along the length of them and they shone much too bright for the cloudy morning. "You and your partner will be tied together by the wrists with these. When I say the word you will all be put into a deep sleep. In your dreams you will wander a different world, made up of you and your partners mind. The goal will be to find another team by navigating your own minds." Here Evanna stopped and began to hand out the cloth strips, only speaking again when she had finished. Only half the Cirque Du Freak had gotten a cloth. Debbie and Jared had gotten one while Evra and I had not. "The reason for this exercise is to strengthen you against the Shadow Lords influence. He can twist reality and make you a prisoner of your own mind. However, if you have already walked in your own minds, that will be next to impossible for him to do. The reason for pairs is so you can help each other overcome whatever you may find inside."

I swallowed hard.

"Every team will have another they need to find. This paper," Evanna held a long parchment up. "Will tell you your partner and the other team you need to find. There will be a place where your two minds touch and you need to find it. Then the way to find another team will become clear." She flicked a finger and the paper hung about three feet off the ground. "Get to it. Find your partner and tie yourselves then sit on a bench." She stepped away to give us room.

I moved to the paper, dodging ahead of several people and read down until I found me.

Hans Hands/Vancha - Gertha/Truska

Alexander/Gannen – Sive/Seersa

Mika/Arrow- Evanna

Jared/Darren - Debbie/Evra

'Have fun with that," Evra chortled.

"I wish," I muttered. The idea of someone else walking in my head was enough to make me physically ill. "Isn't this an invasion of privacy?" The things that would be in there could get me killed or worse. What if my dragon was dancing in my head? What if it showed the form I had taken last night or the accidental magic I'd done so far. Maybe the deep fear of Mr. Tiny's reaction would be brought to the surface, and Vancha's hatred which dug deeper then it should.

"I'm guessing the worst stuff will be hidden because it's a mix of both your minds," Evra said thoughtfully. "You might not even know what belongs to whose head." He seemed happy about his choice in partner and I felt a surge of jealousy that was only squashed by Evanna yelling at us to find our partners.

I reluctantly returned to the bench and stood in front of Jared, shifting from foot to foot. "I'm your partner," I said after nearly a full minute of staring at him. I sat next to him and stiffened as Jared looped the cloth around both our wrists, tying our forearms together. The cloth melted together at the ends and I yanked experimentally, but to no avail. The cloth seemed to be part of our skin now. I sat stiff as a board next to Jared who hadn't said a word yet. He didn't look at all bothered. I watched Debbie and Evra tie themselves together, and then Hans Hands and Vancha. Vancha looked eerily blank and when I looked at him it was like he didn't even register I was there. It was even worse then the angry looks.

"Are you all ready?" Evanna asked. When there was a murmur of assent, which I didn't join in on she nodded. "This should work from youngest to oldest. Don't fight it and wait for your partner when you get there, it may take up to a full minute if they are much older then you." Another murmur swept through the crowd and Evanna flexed her hands, sitting on a hard backed chair separate from everyone else. "Alright then. On the count of three." Her eyes watched over us closely as she began to chant in the same foreign tongue as Mr. Tiny used.

Before she even reached two, weights settled behind my eyelids and I fell forward, aware of others doing the same. A hand on the back of my shirt pulled me back onto the bench and I flopped sideways into Jared before letting out a jaw breaking yawn and falling asleep.

I opened my eyes and nearly slammed my face into a tree trunk when I sat up. I instantly knew where I was, and tendril of fear worked its way down my spine. I was back in the one place I never wanted to go again: The Lake of Souls. I could see it shining in the distance, looking exactly the same as it had when we left. I got up and noticed with some surprise that my weapons and armor were on. Seconds later Jared fell out of the sky and landed with a soft _oof _on the ground. He scrambled up and looked around. His eyebrows arched.

"Do you know this?" He asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," I responded evenly and marched through the trees, scanning the skies for any sign of dragons. We stepped out onto the edge of the Lake and I ran through the sand, nearly tripping over the remains of a campfire. I stopped dead and looked down. It was where Mr. Tiny had talked to us. There was even the stick he had used to roast an eyeball sitting next to the ashes. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands, following the way it was pointed to see footprints. They were from Harkat and I fighting the dragon, then the drag marks from pulling Kurda out of the lake. I stepped over the prints, not wanting to disturb them and stood inches from the Lake, my toes almost touching the water. I had no idea why the Lake was in my head. It couldn't have been Jared; he would never have come here.

"What is this place?" Jared asked, also stepping around the footprints.

"The future," I said. "Or what it would have been anyway." I scanned the horizon and gulped. Flying its way toward us were two dragons, gliding on the breezes high in the sky. They hadn't seen us yet, but if they kept going straight it would only be a matter of time.

"Run!" I shouted and took off toward the trees. We ran down the beach and a loud roar behind us said all I needed to know. A ball of fire shot overhead, well off the mark and hit the tree line. I turned around when a shadow fell overhead and came to face with a dragon. Strangely, it wasn't any of the ones Harkat and I had fought. It was monstrous, almost the size of the house we stayed in and crimson red. A Wyvern. Its nostrils flared and its neck wove down to stare at me with one golden eye. Slinking behind it was a snake like dragon, not unlike mine but it was dark green and much more serpentine. I didn't move, not even when the red dragon slammed its foot down and I stood, trembling between two curved claws that reached as high as my waist. Behind me Jared had fallen and was sitting in the sand. I could sense his shock and fear, and also admiration and deeper then that bewilderment. Then a third dragon peeked out from behind the red dragons back leg and my heart nearly stopped. It was my dragon that was willfully darting toward me and then away when the green dragon snapped at its tail warningly. I grinned and the Wyvern growled warningly, enveloping me in thick smoke.

"The Little Person said you fought dragons, but I never imagined…" Jared said and then trailed off when the Wyvern turned his attention on him.

"We did fight dragons, but not this family," I said. "I have never seen these dragons in my life." '_Except the blue one'_, I added mentally. The Wyvern lowered its head and sniffed me, blowing all the hair off my face. Its attitude seemed familiar, like I already knew it somewhere else. Scars littered the dragons belly and sides, but it seemed no worse for wear. There was quiet reservation, cunning and fierce protectiveness in the dragons eyes. I reached out and touched the Wyverns jaw, tracing my fingers along the scales. Claws wrapped around me and then I was lifted up, up into the air. Jared yelled at the Wyvern but the dragon ignored him and set me behind his leg, where I joined the blue dragon.

"I'm ok!" I called to Jared. I tried to creep out from behind the Wyvern but the green dragon snapped at me and I scurried back. Jared was picked up next and we sat on the ground, trapped. My dragon curled around my body like a cat and rested his head on my knee. I petted it slowly, running my hands through the long feathers on its tail. It was odd seeing the dragon in real life, and not on a rug or my skin.

Jared kept alternating between giving the Wyvern wary looks to staring at the blue dragon with undisguised puzzlement. "Are you sure these aren't the ones you fought?" He asked. He was hiding something, I could tell. His scent was shielded, so I couldn't get a grasp on what it was.

"Positive," I said, evading the blue dragon when he tried to lick me from chin to forehead. When the Wyvern leaned down to check on us, I sniffed him and withdrew violently. A distinctive ocean scent came off from the red dragon. _Mr. Tiny. _ I looked at the green dragon and inhaled again, trying to separate scents from the powerful one coming off the Wyvern. Fresh pine filled my nose and I smiled, triumphant at figuring out the mystery. Whether or not it was a good idea to tell Jared, I hadn't decided yet. I reached out a hand and grabbed one of the Wyverns tail spikes, laboriously beginning to climb up his tail; the spikes grew longer and sharper the further I went, until they were the size of the ones in the Hall of Death. When I reached the Wyverns shoulder, I sat between the gaps in two spikes and looked down. It was the distance of a two story house down to where Jared sat. The blue dragon had climbed halfway into his lap and was nibbling his shirt sleeve. "Come up!" I called down and Jared shook his head vehemently.

"I don't like heights," Jared said shuddering.

"Can you help him?" I whispered to the Wyvern. The great dragon turned his head and studied me quietly for a moment before scooping up a protesting Jared and depositing him behind me. Jared wrapped his hands around the spike in front of me and his quick breathing ruffled the top of my hair. His fear scent was nearly overpowering.

"Calm down," I said. "You won't fall."

Jared disagreed but his grip on the spike loosened ever so slightly. That was when the Wyvern roared and surged to his feet. The movement was so sudden I lurched sideways and nearly slid off. I wondered what had enraged the red dragon until I saw two more shapes flying quick and fast over the water. This time it was the dragons we had fought and they looked positively murderous. The blue and green dragon half ran, half flew toward the trees. "Wait!" I yelped when the Wyvern spread its wings. "Let us down!" The dragon pushed off and we shot into the sky. Unfolding his wings, the Wyvern flew toward the clouds, with Jared and I holding on for dear life. After the initial shock I let go of the spike and held out my arms, whooping loudly when we leveled off above the attacking dragons. The Wyvern looked back at us and I thought I saw a spark of amusement in its gaze before he looked ahead and banked sharply to the left, coughing a ball of fire at the dragon in front.

I ducked the return fire and sparks rained down on us. Jared leaned over me and his shirt smoked under the assault. I looked up at the attacking dragons and pulled back my lips in a growl that nobody could hear over the roars. "Did Evanna say what would happen if we died in our own heads?" I screamed.

"No!" Jared yelled back. "But she did say we could manipulate our surroundings! It takes a lot of willpower though."

"Does that include ourselves?" I questioned.

"I don't know!" Jared shouted.

Then we collided with the other two dragons with a roar. The dragons snapped at the Wyvern, and even though they were tiny compared to him, their combined attack was gradually wearing the red dragon down. I looked over the side of the Wyvern and was nearly clipped by a wing. I unsheathed the dragon sword and timed the passes of the dragons as they circled above and below.

One.

Two.

I jumped off the side of the Wyvern, and slid through Jared's grasp as he tried to pull me back on. I fell down, down and landed with a smack on the side of the dragon which was just pulling up for another attack. I rolled down its side and hung by a spike, one hand holding the dragon sword. As we pulled around the Wyvern blew another fireball at us, but changed its direction at the last second to avoid roasting me. On his back Jared looked helpless. If I could still talk to dragons this might work. Otherwise I was sure to die the next time the beasts fought claw to claw. "Stop!" I roared. The dragon I was looking at paused in mid flight and its huge body turned toward mine, wings beating to keep it hovering in mid air. "Stop fighting!" I screamed. "Leave us alone right now you great ugly-" I was cut off as the two dragons turned abruptly and began to fly away, with me still hanging on. The Wyvern gave chase, but it was too late. I lost my grip and fell toward the Lake of Souls. The closer I got to the water, the more things I could see swimming in it. I opened my mouth to scream, squeezing my eyes shut and preparing to wake up back in my own body, squashed flat as a pancake. My feet brushed the water and a claw hooked under my belly yanking me up. The Wyvern hauled me up and then flipped me back onto his back, where I was put safely back between the spikes by a furious Jared.

"What the hell was that?" Jared yelled.

I gave Jared a sheepish grin. "It worked, didn't it?"  
Jared opened and closed his mouth several times, but nothing came out. Instead he gave an exasperated sigh and flung his hands in the air.

"But you aren't afraid of falling anymore, are you?" I asked slyly.

"That's beside the point!" Jared sputtered.

"Is it?" I asked. "We have to overcome our fears along this route to proceed and that's what just happened."

The Wyvern flew for miles and then I saw the lake where Harkat and I had paddled across. The Wyvern hovered above it for a minute or two and then looked back at us, puffed smoke and pitched us off. I yelled as we plummeted toward the lake, but seconds before I hit the landscape shimmered and changed. Now we stood somewhere I knew like the back of my hand. My old bedroom. I turned in a slow circle, running my hands along the tattered posters on the walls and the books stacked haphazardly on the shelves. Lying on my bed was the Cirque Du Freak poster. I picked it up while Jared wandered around, poking his head outside the door.

"I guess it's my turn to help you," Jared commented.

"I suppose," I said, puzzled. "But I don't remember any fear being associated with home."

"Well I never thought about riding on a dragon before," Jared said.

I went into the hallway after acknowledging what Jared had said and saw Annie, about eight years old still running toward me with dolls clenched in her fists. "Dads making spaghetti!" She said impatiently. "Let's go!" Strangely she didn't give Jared even a sideways glance and with a pang I realized she couldn't see him. I followed my sister downstairs and stopped in the doorway so abruptly Jared almost walked into me. Instead of the father I had known for most of my life, it was Mr. Tiny standing at the stove and stirring a pot of pasta. I could see my reflection in the window, and noticed my face had lost all color. Mr. Tiny turned around holding the spoon aloft and pointed at the table.

"You look like you've seen a ghost Darren!" He chuckled. "Come sit down."

Uneasily, I did as he asked and took the chair furthest from the man. It had been almost a month since I had last seen him, and I'd forgotten tiny details about him. He was still wearing his customary outfit, but an apron had been thrown over it, tied in a loose knot at his waist. He didn't give any sign he could see Jared either. With a flick of his wrist he sent plates floating to the table, along with napkins and utensils. Jared had his hand resting on my shoulder and I was grateful for the support. Mr. Tiny sat at the table and put a generous helping of pasta on each of our plates. I was waiting for something to go wrong, just as it had for Jared at the Lake and didn't make any move to touch the food.

"Are you afraid of Mr. Tiny?" Jared asked in my ear.

I didn't answer. I couldn't, not when I didn't know the answer myself. I didn't think I was, but every time I looked at him, I kept waiting for him to fly into a rage about me surviving. I didn't trust him to take the idea of magic very well.

"Darren has something to tell us," Mr. Tiny said after finishing the pasta and taking a long swig from a cup.

"What?" I said.

Mr. Tiny leaned forward and even though he was at the opposite end of the table it was a hard thing to keep from getting up and running. His eyes glittered with the same malice I hadn't seen since I died. He clutched his watch in one hand and it shone dark, bloody red. "Don't tell me you thought it would stay a secret?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," I said helplessly. Jared's hand had tightened to an almost painful grip.

Mr. Tiny stood up so fast the chair clattered to the floor behind him. Annie had vanished from sight and I flinched away from the table. "You know how you survived! Don't you! You had this planned to ruin my life!" He slashed a hand through the air and I was blown backward, slamming into the wall with such force my sunglasses fell off. "And now you hide this from me!"

"I-I'm sorry," I croaked. "I don't-"

Mr. Tiny's hand closed around my throat and he lifted me up. Spots swam in front of my eyes and I scrabbled at his fingers helplessly, limbs twitching. I kicked out at his midriff, but the blow did nothing. Two more figures swam into view in the background, laughing uproariously: Vancha and Hans Hands. They pointed and chuckled, doubling over with laughter. In each of their hands they carried long wooden rods and for some reason the sight of them sent primal fear through me.

"They didn't do a good enough job with you did they?" Mr. Tiny asked and threw me toward the pair, where I lay crumpled at their feet. I curled into a little ball and clamped my hands over my ears to try and drown out the laughter but it kept coming. Then the memories hit, and my back arched, mouth opening and closing in silent pain.

_Vancha and Hans pulling me aside every day since the poisoning, each time pretending they needed help. Their faces bright and eager, rendering the brief hate scent coming from them unimportant. _

_Force feeding me a potion to render me helpless. _

_Beating the dragon and I to the edge of unconscious with wooden rods. _

_Ranting at me how this would happen again and again until I learned to never use magic. _

_Giving me another potion to heal my body and wipe my memory._

_But they left the fear, storing it for the best time to cripple._

_And now all of that was mine. _

I screamed and a lamp swung out of nowhere, connecting with the back of Mr. Tiny's head. The magician hit the floor and I ran blindly away, hands still held tightly over my ears. I ran back upstairs, and hit the bed pulling the blankets over me. I knew what Mr. Tiny had done at dinner was only the illusion of my fear, but Vancha, Hans and those horrible things were all too real.

A hand touched my back through the blankets and I flinched. Suddenly, a new scrap of memory came through and I latched onto it desperately.

_Vancha and Hans stood over me, nudging my limp, bloody form with one foot. They portrayed hatred, and delight, their scents writhing with it. I could only see their eyes, one pair gleeful and triumphant, while the other was horrified and equally helpless. But the knowledge of who was who was beyond me and I slipped away as the potion worked its way down my throat. _

"Darren!"

"_Never use magic again or this will become a repeat experience. And trust me we will know when you do," the rods clacked dangerously close to my nose and I could do nothing more then blink. _

"Darren wake up!"

"_Unless you want your pretty girlfriend to suffer the consequences'?" _

"_Why are we telling him this if he won't even remember?" _

_Someone chuckled darkly. "Because when he does remember, it has to stop him in his tracks." _

_ "Why," I groaned. _

"_Because you are the only thing standing between our Lord and victory…"_

"Come on Darren!" Jared ordered and I latched onto his wrist like it was a lifeline.

_A necklace flew out of one shirt, hanging in front of my face until another hand reached over and tucked it well out of sight. A pendent hung from the chain; round and about the size of a quarter. The design on it was imprinted to my faulty memory: a snake biting its own tail, surrounding a magical symbol that glowed in the dusty trailer._

I gasped and opened my eyes, trembling wildly. Jared was kneeling on my legs and I panicked again, tossing my body around until he got off. The position reminded me too much of Vancha and Hans Hands. I flinched back when Jared tried to pull me close. I had to speak, to tell him what I knew but the words were stuck. Image after image of the past few weeks in the trailer, begging for them to harm me and leave the dragon alone had left me sick. I ran to the window and vomited out it. I reached a hand up my shirt and the dragon arched into it, also trembling but relieved at the contact.

"What happened?" Jared asked and shamefully, I flinched again.

"The spy…is either Vancha or Hans," I rasped. "We need to get out of here." Jared made to help me but I shot my hands up in a defensive posture. "Don't touch me!" I yelped. At Jared's shocked look I hung my head and hunched up my shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"You were remembering something weren't you," Jared said flatly.

I nodded and edged past Jared, grateful for the extra space the man was giving me. "Yes." I worked up enough spit to speak and opened my mouth. But nothing came out. What could I say to the man anyway? How could I have gone with them into that trailer time after time, never expecting anything? It was my fault for being so idiotic. The very idea of using magic made me want to throw up again. I opened my bedroom door fearfully, expecting a wrathful Mr. Tiny but instead of the hallway a meadow spread out in front of me. At the far end I could see two more figures. I stepped outside and to the side, careful to keep Jared in eyesight and out of arms reach at all times.

"What were the memories?" Jared asked. "Was it amnesia?"

"Of a sort," I said and refused to say anything more. Debbie and Evra were running toward us across the field and I waved. The ground rumbled and I whipped around. My house was falling into a void quickly advancing toward us across the meadow. On the other side I could see the same thing happening to Evra and Debbie and I bolted. The ground fell away inches behind our heels; I could have run much faster, but there was no way Jared could have kept up. Finally, I grabbed him and half dragged, half carried him along, running faster and faster. My feet barely touched the ground as we ran over the cracking ground. Jared helped push us along when he could and we reached the middle of the meadow, nearly crashing into Evra as we crested the top of a small hill. Behind them the meadow kept falling away but we had bought ourselves about a minute. We didn't say a word, only stood back to back, watching the world fall into pieces. Evra looked gaunt and smaller, more afraid then he had when I'd last seen him. I doubted I looked much better. Debbie looked slightly pale, but color was quickly returning.

"Evanna didn't say anything about this!" Debbie screamed over a howling wind, her hand digging into my arm. I wanted to pull away but her grasp was too tight.

"Maybe we failed?" Evra yelled.

Absurdly, a sign sprang up from the dirt which was cracking under our feet. Jared read it out loud, squinting at the crudely drawn letters. "A secret opens the door." He looked at us.

I gulped. "I don't think she means a little one like the time I cheated on a test?" The answering roar of thunder was answer enough. We barely had any ground left to stand on now.

Evra and Debbie began to shout random things into the sky, things I had never heard them talk about. But while most of it was shocking (Evra had once tried on a dress on a dare?) nothing triggered the door and we shifted uneasily. Jared tried next, but he had nothing of interest and our way out remained stubbornly absent. Everyone looked at me and I searched my memory, wincing at the ones I had just learned of and shook my head. "I don't have anything!" I said feebly.

"Nothing?" Debbie said incredulously. "Nothing that you would go to any length to keep a secret?"

My body stilled and I knew, I knew what I would have to give up, to get us out of here. But could I? If I didn't say anything would we die here? Admitting to magic when it was the thing I hated most about myself would be the hardest thing I'd ever done. "I do have something," I said softly.

"Spit it out! We won't judge you!" Jared shouted. His words didn't help at all.

I steeled myself and stared at my toes, noting the ground shifting under our feet and figured out how to word it so I was still giving up a lot, but not everything. "Jared! The dragons at the Lake of Souls. I know who they are." Jared looked up and his head tilted. He had no reaction other then a strange gleam in his eyes so I forged ahead. "The red one was Mr. Tiny. The green one was Evanna. And…and…" I stopped and swallowed hard, teetering on the edge of giving up the worst secret I had, and the one I had previously vowed to never tell. "The blue one was me!"

The ground cracked and gave way entirely. We plummeted toward a green doorway far below; Debbie grabbed my hand and I looked toward Jared. His face was deathly white and he looked like his entire world had just fallen apart. I knew the feeling. Together we hit the doorway and the world faded into blackness.

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	18. Chapter 17- The Witching Hour

**A.N My chapters will now be at least 4.5 to 5k long. **

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I fumbled for the cloth tying Jared and I together, only to freeze and grab the other end of it. Jared was gone. The seat next to me was empty and there was no sign of him anywhere. I knew I would have woken up before him, so there was no way he could have run off. Most of the Cirque Du Freak was still coming around, sitting up and untying themselves. I exchanged a look with Evra and together we stood up, intending to slip away where we could talk about what had happened in private. But the moment I stood up Vancha and Hans did as well, their gazes heavy on my back. I longed to sink my fangs into their throats, but for now I let them be. I was in no condition to fight and one of them was innocent. Instead I settled the matter by slipping my hand into my jeans pocket and pulling out my sunglasses, putting them on quickly. As I did so, I sent them a wicked smirk, curving up one side of my mouth to expose an elongated canine. I didn't wait to see their reaction, spinning around to follow Debbie and Evra toward the house. I didn't associate fangs with using magic, so the stifling fear didn't overwhelm me.

Evra and Debbie ran up the stairs to my room and right before we went in, I noted that there was another door next to mine that hadn't been there before. I paused by it but Debbie's hand hooked around mine and pulled me away. They shuffled me inside and shut the door and I took several steps away to get some breathing room. The dragon stirred uneasily and I rubbed my side gently, trying to sooth it.

"The blue dragon is me?" Debbie questioned the moment she was sure no one else had followed us. "What the hell does that mean?"

I clasped my hands and shrugged. I was still getting flashes of memory that I had no wish to view and that had robbed me of any wish to speak. The mystery of Jared's abrupt disappearance was next on my mind. Was he still trapped in the dream world, wandering around my house? Evanna hadn't seemed at all worried when she saw his absence, so that counted for something. But I was furious at the witch for making me tell.

"You know about the dragons Mr. Tiny and Evra have, right?" Evra asked Debbie.

"Yes…" Debbie said hesitantly, then her eyes widened. "No, that can't be possible." Her eyes sought mine but I turned away and stared resolutely at the bed sheet. "How long?" She asked.

"Since he got poisoned," Evra said for me, when it was clear I was going to offer no information.

I stared blankly out the window, rubbing my arms and gazed down at the Cirque, where most of them were still milling around Evanna, talking and waving their arms. The figures of Vancha and Hans were in the back, talking with their heads bent together. They looked angry and very frustrated. Evanna managed to shoo the rest away and started toward the house

"The spy is either Vancha or Hans," I said finally.

Debbie went pale as I felt. "They would never-"

"But they did!" I screamed. "One of them betrayed us and the other is held prisoner! They have been beating the dragon and I every day since the poisoning to try and harm the magic. They wiped my memory over and over again and now I have it all. I can't use magic anymore." I hunched over and gripped the bedcovers in my fists, tugging on them fruitlessly. Nothing but silence greeted my words and I withdrew further and further into myself. Jared had gone, the only person who had witnessed just what I was afraid of, and now I felt more alone then ever. I didn't know if he had seen the memories I'd regained, and I honestly never wanted to know, but he had pulled me from them.

Wrapping her arms around me, Debbie pulled me into a tight hug. I leaned back into it appreciatively and let out a long sigh. "I can't use magic," I whispered. "I just can't." The arms tightened and I stiffened in response, sure I had annoyed Debbie but she nodded into my shoulder.

"I know," she said. She didn't try to talk to me about the beatings; something I knew was hard for her.

Evra crept back into the conversation, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Mr. Tiny needs to know about this so he can come back."

I opened my mouth to protest and then closed it. There would be no swaying Evra, not this time. "I don't think I can tell him," I said. The afterimage of Mr. Tiny choking me against the wall like I had to the Princes was not something I would forget anytime soon, even if it hadn't been real.  
"Then tell Evanna," Debbie suggested.

This time I seriously considered her words. Evanna would probably have a strong reaction to finding out her young half brother had developed magic and had, had it for almost a month. But the idea if telling her seemed to be the better idea, instead of waiting for Mr. Tiny to get back from wherever he was and telling him. She could relay the news and I would be spared standing in front of the man. "Fine," I said. "But I'm not telling her anything more then she needs to know. What happened between Vancha, Hans and I is personal. The color and shape of my dragon is also not to be revealed." I pulled away from Debbie, who was looking relieved and ducked into the bathroom to change my clothing. I had been wearing this green shirt too often for one of the beatings and I doubted I could ever wear it again.

"Thank you," Evra said when I came out.  
"Don't thank me yet," I grunted. _'I might chicken out,' _I thought.

I splashed water on my face one more time and walked downstairs, hands fisted at my side. The dragon was unusually still. Evanna was working on something at the table when I walked into the kitchen and she looked up at me with a pleased expression on her face. In her hands was a piece of red cloth, but when she tugged it, it grew twice as long. I guessed it was for the prank she was planning, but I couldn't get a closer look before she tucked it into the ropes on her arms.

"Jared disappeared," I stated, trying to open the conversation with something easy. Behind me Debbie and Evra hovered like two concerned ghosts.

"Yes he did," Evanna said like she was talking to a very young child. She swung her feet onto the table and studied me.

"He was gone before I even woke up. Where did he go?" I asked.

"I don't think that is any of your business," Evanna said flatly.

"It is because I know who the spy is!" I said hotly.

Evanna put her feet back on the floor and leveled me with a stern glare. "Who?"

"Either Hans Hands or Vancha March," I said. "One of them is innocent though."

"How did you come to this miraculous conclusion? Do you have proof?" Evanna asked snidely.

I faltered, caught off guard by Evannas prickly temper but forged ahead. "Yes. I discovered memories that had been previously lost."

"What happened in the memories?" Evanna asked. She seemed to be giving an effort to cool her temper, but her eyes still sparked.

"I can't tell you," I said. "But one of them is the spy."

"Very well," Evanna said. Her head tilted. "There is something else, isn't there."

I shuffled and then nodded.

"Come on then!" Evanna barked and I flinched.

"I have magic," I said in a rush. When Evanna did nothing but slam up the mask I knew all too well from Mr. Tiny I kept going, spilling the words out. "I had the dragon since I got poisoned. I didn't know for sure what it was until a little while ago, but-"

"You. Have. Magic?" Evanna said darkly.

"Y-yes," I stammered.

The room shuddered and I jumped as the table flew up into the air and slammed into the wall. Evanna had gone pale, and her eyes glowed dark green. "OF ALL THE IRRESPONSIBLE AND SELFISH THINGS TO DO!" She screamed in a voice that blasted into my ears. "WHY WOULD YOU NOT TELL US RIGHT AWAY? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF THE DANGER YOU PUT YOURSELF AND THE ENTIRE CIRQUE DU FREAK IN BY KEEPING THAT A SECRET?"

I pressed my back into the wall and tried to cut through Evannas ever rising voice. "I'm sorry! I was scared! I wanted to protect the dragon!" This was not how I had imagined things going and the fear was returning tenfold.

"DAMN THE DRAGON DARREN. YOU COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS?" Evanna drew her hand back and brought it down in a brutal slapping motion. Even though she was feet away I felt the blow across my face and I slammed my head against the wall. I sank to the floor and curled into a little ball, hoping Evra and Debbie had the sense to run.

"I'm sorry," I said feebly, trying to melt into the floor.

"SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT! NOW I HAVE TO TELL DESMOND EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. DO YOU THINK HE IS GOING TO BE PLEASED? I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH YOU WANTED TO "PROTECT" YOUR DRAGON, YOU SHOULD HAVE COME TO US." Another blow slammed into my chest and I was forced into a kneeling position by invisible hands. It was the same feeling I had when the wards had added me and I nearly vomited.

"I had no reason to trust either of you!" I screamed, aware of the blood trickling down my face. I hoped I would come out of this well enough to hobble away.

"TRUST WASN'T NEEDED. JUST THE COMMON SENSE TO DO WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE!" Evanna roared and lashed out again. Now her hands were glowing green. It seemed reasoning with her would be a fruitless effort on anyone's part. I couldn't believe what she was doing, and my belief that magic was not a good thing at all was further cemented in my mind.

I wobbled but forced myself to stand. Evra lunged out of the corner and grabbed onto Evanna, trying to pull her down to the floor. Debbie did the same, but she armed herself with a broken table leg and swung it at Evanna. Both of them looked scared, but infuriated. The Little Person that had been following me around and the Vampire Princes burst into the kitchen and also ran forward. But all five of them were ants compared to the enraged witch. She shook them off and advanced on me, nostrils flaring. I whimpered pathetically and inched backwards, scrabbling on the kitchen floor for something, anything to defend myself with. Evanna lashed out again and I was sent flying backwards, hitting the kitchen counter with a painful crunch of metal on ribs. I knew that she had lost all control of her magic and nothing would stop her from completing her punishment. I flopped to the floor and lay there, utterly defeated, blood trickling into my eyes and obscuring my vision. There was no reason to fight. I wasn't strong enough. Evanna would kill me. As the witch leaned down to growl something in my ear I spat blood at her face and wished I could be anywhere but here. A bright light filled the kitchen, illuminating the place where Debbie and Evra the Little Person and the Princes lay. The dragon roared and climbed up my back, and then the scene shifted and I was falling.

I crashed onto a road divider between two sides of a highway and flopped onto the pavement, the concrete warming my bloody skin. My shirt was gone, my jeans were ripped and I had no money, food or weapons. Cars zoomed by, apparently none of their occupants worried enough about the beaten boy on the side of the road to stop and help. I grasped the edge of the barrier and pulled myself into an almost standing position, using the barrier as a crutch. I couldn't stop and examine my wounds; if I did that the knowledge of how injured I was would stop me. I lurched down the road; leaving drops of blood behind me and focused my gaze on the town I could see miles ahead. The dragon didn't have enough clothing to hide under and as a result its tail was wrapped around my three broken ribs like an attempt at a bandage. I reached into a pocket, feeling something brush my skin and pulled out a long blue feather. It looked like one of the ones on my dragon's tail, about as long as my forearm and soft. I gently put it back and wondered it was a souvenir from the trip into our heads.

I knew I had spent a long time "traveling" but it was still surprising to see it was almost night; the setting sun burnt into my back, drying the blood on my skin. One eye was swollen shut and I could feel a long gash in my forehead that still bled sluggishly. I ripped part of my jeans off and wrapped it around my head. My chest and back were covered in bruises and other tiny cuts from shattered dishes littered my torso. There was nothing to be done about those. My ankle ached and ghost pain running up and down my body told me the dragon fared little better.

"Just a little further," I murmured. My throat was parched and hunger gnawed at my stomach. Clouds gathered in the distance, covering the sun which was now almost completely set. I longed for them to overtake me and dump rain. A road sign had told me I had just crossed into Oklahoma, which was three states away from where I had been. Mr. Tiny's watch had come through unscathed, but the chain holding it was dented in several places. I thought about breaking it only momentarily, deciding that bringing Mr. Tiny here was not worth it in the slightest. I tried to reach Imoo, but the bond was closed and I guessed we were too far away, or I was too sick and tired to use it properly. The highway stretched into the distance, but a mile ahead I saw an exit, with a sign listing hotels and gas stations. I headed toward it, crossing the highway with only minor difficulty and climbed up toward the sidewalk. Now people were starting to take notice of me and steered around me with disgusted looks, only a few looking worried, but too scared to come and offer help. I leaned against a building and watched the storm building in the distance, eyeing it speculatively. In the darkness of the buildings shadow, I was going almost unnoticed. Using what was left of my vampire reflexes I darted toward a man walking ahead of me and pretended to rush past him, stumbling into him slightly as I passed. I scooped his wallet out of his back pocket easily and hunched over, making my escape without effort.

The pain had to go first, I reasoned and went into a pharmacy, grabbing a bottle of Advil. The clerk gave me a wary look and I made a hasty exit, hoping I wouldn't hear sirens in the next few minutes. The next store over had a bathroom and I made it inside, locking the door. I downed four Advil and went to the mirror. Blood caked three quarters of my face, almost obscuring large bruises which were turning nasty shades of purple and yellow. The cut on my head was still covered by the scrap of jeans, but I could see spots of blood showing through. The front of my hair was flattened to my forehead with blood. My chest was mottled with bruises and I probed the area of my broken ribs gently. My back was also beaten up and the pattern of a table leg was set into the skin. I wet my face down liberally, gently freeing the bandage from my head and wetting it before putting it back on. I took my boots off and had to use my nails to cut the boot off my swollen ankle. I used the other side of my jeans to wrap it up and left the boots behind. I looked like I was wearing uneven shorts now. The dragon was injured too: small cuts covered its flank and one clawed foot was held up to its stomach, broken.

"Sorry," I said gently and rubbed the dragons head.

I left the store and had no qualms about shoplifting an ugly sweater on the way out. It was nothing to wear, but would make a very good bandage for my ribs. I was at the end of my strength and barely made it to a deserted alley before collapsing behind a dumpster. I stripped the sweater and wrapped it tightly around my ribs, moaning in pain as I did so. The sleeves I kept tucked in my other pocket to be used on my forehead later. A bright flash of lightning lit up the sky and I looked up, blinking as the first drops of rain hit me in the face. I opened my mouth and cupped my hands, gathering as much rain water as I could. Thunder boomed and I flinched with each one, the sound much too loud to my sensitive ears. I was too wired and in pain to sleep, so I hauled myself upright and searched for shelter. People were running this way and that as the storm grew in power, the clouds taking on a faint greenish tinge. I tugged on the door of store after store, but the owners had closed down early and left. Something splashed into a puddle behind me and I turned to see a jacket floating down the road, its green sleeves waving in the water. It was Mr. Tiny's suit jacket! I picked it up out of the water and noticed that it was still dry. I stared suspiciously at it and then looked around; there was nobody in sight except the last few humans running for shelter.

Taking no chances I examined the jacket inside and out before putting it on. It was too big and my hands didn't come out of the sleeves, but it kept the rain off at least a little bit and strangely the jacket held warmth inside it like nothing I'd ever worn. But before I could do more then wonder at Mr. Tiny's clothing falling out of the sky, the tornado sirens went off. A woman darted out of her store and saw me when she began to pull her items back inside. She gaped at me and then ran over, splashing through the quickly flooding street.

"Come inside quickly!" She yelled and thunder boomed. I splashed after her into the store and she shut the door firmly, lowering the curtains in front of the huge glass windows. The rain came down full force and I could only stare outside the door, gaping at the sheer amount of water coming down. The woman pulled up a chair for me, one of her own stock and set me down inside it, not even commenting on the fact I was soaking wet except for the jacket.

"Thanks," I said weakly and leaned back in the cushy chair. The Advil was kicking in and the pain relief was immense.

"You look terrible," the woman commented. She got up and rummaged behind the counter and pulled out a thick afghan which she draped over me.

"It was a stupid accident," I said by way of explanation.

The woman seemed to be content with this answer and we sat together and watched the storm rage. As time went on I found it harder and harder to stay awake. Finally my head tipped onto my chest and I fell asleep with lightning flashing all around me, aware that the woman had left me alone with no worry about her store.

I woke in the early hours of the morning with a note taped to the arm of the chair I was curled in. It said in brief words that if I stole anything she would know exactly who to describe to the police and that I was welcome to anything in the fridge in the backroom. I downed another couple Advil and left the store after taking a wrapped sandwich. My condition was deteriorating fast. Each breath sent spikes of pain into my chest and as a result I could only breathe slowly and shallowly. I was sure I had a fever and my head was infected. The world swam in front of me, the sidewalk lurching up and down. I splashed into the street, wading through the flooding and nearly crashed into a red beetle. I turned and walked into a truck face first. I stumbled backwards and sat down, putting my head in my hands. "Help," I muttered. Of course no one answered and I leaned against the beetle, considering just falling unconscious and letting fate have its way with me. Then I heard footsteps walking smartly toward the cars and the wonderful scent of barbecue chips filled my nose. I couldn't move more then my hand so I raised it a few inches then let it flop back into the water. The person stopped on the other side of the beetle and I heard the door open and smelled the food being set in it, just inches from me on the passenger side door. The door shut and the person walked away but I didn't hear the click of locks.

I reached for the door handle and it took me three tries to open it and hook my fingers into the gap. I reached blindly into the car and my hand closed around the bag. I pulled it out, scattering several chips into the water as I did so and began to eat, shoveling the chips into my mouth. It was only when I had reached the very bottom of the bag did I figure out the person was coming back. I stopped and let the chip bag fall into the puddles. But I had no more energy to run or even decide what to do. I flopped sideways and I splashed down, water filling my mouth. The chip bag floated under the car and hit the person in the legs. "He-I'm here," I mouthed through the water, but nothing but bubbles came out. The man got in the car and started the engine, unaware I lay by his passenger side tire. Then I saw that the passenger side door was not completely shut. The beetle began to pull away and I drew up energy and hooked my uninjured foot into the door. It swung open sharply, hitting me in the knee. The car slammed to a halt and the man got out of his car, wading around to the front. It was then I thought _'shit.' _ I had helped Mr. Tiny find me. It was him shutting the passenger door with confusion, slowly turning back to the parking spot. I didn't even register the absurd fact of him owning a bright red beetle.

"Darren!" He exclaimed and took two huge steps before he knelt beside me in the water. There was no energy left to flinch with when he pulled back my hair to examine my head. "Who did this?" He spat. I could tell the rage was not directed at me, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.

I blinked at him. The dragon bunched up into an impossibly tight ball under my jean shorts and I could feel it trembling at the prospect of being found out after all this time.

Mr. Tiny gently lifted me into the air and my head fell back. He carried me to the car and set me in the front seat, propping me up with one invisible hand until he got in the drivers seat. He conjured a blanket and wrapped me in it, while removing my jeans shorts and pulling out a cell phone. I could see he was about to call Evanna. Luckily he was too wrapped up in getting to his contacts that he hadn't seen the dragon. Under normal circumstances I would have been mortified to be stripped down to boxers, but right now all I wanted was to keep Mr. Tiny from calling Evanna.

"No," I wheezed fearfully.

Mr. Tiny looked back at me and then down at his phone. "Evanna did this?" He said incredulously. When I didn't answer he reached over and un-wrapped the bandage from around my head, exposing the long cut. He set to work on my torso first, running his hands on the bruises and muttering soft words. When he reached my broken ribs I flinched. Mr. Tiny paused and then lightly placed both palms on the site of the injury and spoke one swift word. I screamed when the bones reset and pressed into the doorframe to get away. But when I sucked in a breath I shuddered in relief. It still hurt a lot, but I could breathe properly. Nodding in satisfaction at my stomach Mr. Tiny reached toward my face. I brought my arms up in a defensive posture and shrank away, positive that the man was about to choke me.

"Please," I begged.

Mr. Tiny gave me a shaken look and then gripped the armrests of his chair so hard his knuckles turned white. "I will never hit you," he said. He reached out, this time with only one hand and I braced myself. One finger traced its way up and down my face, taking the pain with it. I only flinched once when it trailed over the cut on my forehead. The skin knitted together and my bruises shrank. "We need to bring your fever down," Mr. Tiny said quietly. "It's lower then before, but still much too high." When he made me lean forward I knew he saw my back by the way his breath hissed. My legs were well wrapped up and that was where the dragon was hiding, so I wasn't worried about that. Yet. Before I could do anything but let out a startled squeak Mr. Tiny pulled me into his lap, blanket and all. He laid his entire hand on my back; fingers splayed out and started to heal me. The car started without anyone touching the keys and it pulled away.

"Why did Evanna do this?" Mr. Tiny asked, and I sensed barely contained fury in his voice.

I was too worn out to give him more then a stubborn shake of the head and sank into the blankets, resting my head on Mr. Tiny's shoulder. He would find out soon. For now I enjoyed the coolness Mr. Tiny was giving off, taking away the fever and pain. When Mr. Tiny was convinced I wouldn't die he put me back in my own seat, but arranged the blankets between us and made me put my head on his leg. He told me it was to keep the fever from coming back, but I guessed it was more for his own personal comfort, because he kept one hand on my back as we drove. I fell into a light doze, awakening whenever Mr. Tiny shifted positions. Barely any time later we pulled into a hotel parking lot and Mr. Tiny carried me up to the front desk and secured us a room for two nights. He set me down on the double bed and slipped his jacket back on me, along with a pair of sweatpants. He ordered room service and we ate bowl upon bowl of soup until I could barely move, but from being full not pain. My fear had faded somewhat, knowing Mr. Tiny still had no idea I had magic but I was careful to keep a close eye on his movements. The man had adopted the same temperament as before he'd left. The only change was he had completely abandoned the blank mask and seemed more open with his emotions. He had even given me three cookies, with an amused expression on his face. Often he opened and shut his phone, and when he didn't think I was looking his finger hovered on the send key to Evanna, but every time he left it alone.

"She was angry…" I whispered when Mr. Tiny sat down on the edge of the bed and slipped off his green boots.

Mr. Tiny deliberately set aside his boots and then turned on the television. "Being angry is no excuse for reducing you to this state," he said and sat on the bed beside me. Once again when he made to check on my head I flinched horribly and looked away, humiliated.

Mr. Tiny said nothing but he turned up the television and flipped to a comedy show. In spite of myself the show had my lips twitching into a smile more then I would admit. Only when my eyes kept falling shut did Mr. Tiny look my way.

"Go to sleep," Mr. Tiny said and shut off the TV, pulling the covers over himself as well. He had rolled over so his back was to me, but I stared at his still form for a long while. I was relieved he hadn't asked anything else, but the abrupt change in attitude was startling. My eyes slipped closed and I relaxed into the bed, pulling Mr. Tiny's jacket tighter around me. It was only seconds before I fell asleep that I remembered Mr. Tiny hadn't asked for his watch back.

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	19. Chapter 18- Carnival of Horrors

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak.**

**A.N.**

**I will respond to reviews next chapter :S I had very little time to post the chapter, but I wanted to get it up!**

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The sound of someone half yelling, half whispering roused me from sleep much earlier then I would have liked. Mr. Tiny was standing in the corner, leaning on the bathroom door, obviously furious with the person on the other end of the cell phone. One pinky was glowing red and he traced odd patterns on the door, leaving streaks of light behind.

"That's why you beat him half to death?" He hissed. There was a pause as the other person, probably Evanna answered. "He was scared! Could you not see that?"

I stiffened and pulled the bedcovers a little higher.

"I don't care how irresponsible that might have been. Do you know he flinches when I touch him? He probably thinks what you said is true!" Mr. Tiny ran a hand through his hair, attempting to flatten it and I had to stifle a laugh even in the tense situation when he only messed it up even further. "Now you listen to me. There is something else going on that I haven't figured out yet. Yes, he is scared of me and probably you, but the flinching is more deeply ingrained then that."

So Mr. Tiny knew. That fact was enough to make me want to jump out the window, but I was too sore and hungry to even get out of bed. Instead I closed my eyes and turned my head to the side slightly, feigning sleep as Mr. Tiny turned and began to pace around the room, passing the foot of my bed several times. Each time he went by I felt his eyes run over my body and I wondered if he was searching for the dragon, which was currently sleeping on my back.

"No, I don't know what could have happened," Mr. Tiny spat and he brushed by the bedside. I heard him unscrewing something and he pulled the jacket off my stomach and cut the bandages from around my ribs. He sat down on the edge of the bed and began to apply a salve to my torso, listening to a rather long response from Evanna and ignoring the occasional flinch when he ran over a particularly sensitive spot. Or at least that's what I guessed he thought; I was really trying my best not to arch away from his touch. The salve was shockingly cold but it soothed the pain remarkably fast and I let out a long sigh of relief. "Daughter, I know you may regret harming him, but what's done is done." He moved to my face and this time I couldn't sit still. I brought up a hand and pretended to brush Mr. Tiny away, muttering and rolling over to shield myself, still pretending to be asleep. "I won't do that Evanna," Mr. Tiny growled, sounding the most pissed off he had in the entire conversation. Then he paused and listened. "You think he is hiding something about Vancha and Hans?" He paused again. "I will take that into consideration," he said grudgingly and flicked the phone shut.

This time when Mr. Tiny tried to pull my hands away from my face I dropped the act and opened my eyes, peering at him. I struggled to sit up and pushed Mr. Tiny away. "How long?" I asked groggily.

"Four days," Mr. Tiny said and studied me silently, before apparently deciding I wasn't going to drop dead. He set the salve deliberately on my bedside table and went back to the small kitchen, where several pieces of bacon were cooking. He pointed a finger at the stovetop, absentmindedly turning the temperature up while he made toast.

I wasn't surprised Mr. Tiny hadn't said a word about the conversation with Evanna, but it was bothering me that he wasn't admitting to knowing about my magic. I wondered if he was waiting for me to accidently use it, which wasn't going to happen if I could help it. Vancha and Hans tricking me over and over had set me firmly against that. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and wobbled into the bathroom, splashing water on my face. The bruises were fading, but they still shone in nasty shades of purple and blue. The dragon came out of hiding and I locked the door before stroking it gently, noticing it was healing too. I took a quick shower and pulled on a clean outfit that had appeared on the toilet, along with Mr. Tiny's jacket that was still hanging on the doorknob. Mr. Tiny knocked on the door and I jumped, pulling the jacket on and unlocking the door. I plastered a non guilty look on my face when I opened it. Mr. Tiny stared at me with his head slightly tilted and then smiled.

"There is a carnival in town," he said. "I thought we might as well go if you are feeling up to it."

I hesitated. I did feel better but there was certain clumsiness to my movements I didn't like. "Ok," I said on a whim. Whatever Mr. Tiny's motive for offering a day out, (I was certain there was one) I would figure it out and tread accordingly.

Mr. Tiny smiled again and I followed him to the breakfast table. He pulled out two plates and heaped a large pile of bacon onto each of our plates, along with toast and eggs. The meat scent made my mouth water and I had to restrain myself to keep from drooling. I purposely didn't let myself eat the bacon first, instead shoving the toast down. But when everything else was eaten, I had no reservation about crunching the bacon with a blissful expression I was sure Mr. Tiny noticed. The meal was eaten in silence, except for Mr. Tiny poking at his phone with a slightly frustrated expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hoping the irritation wasn't directed at my lack of conversational skills.

Mr. Tiny looked up and the phone made a faint beeping sound. "Evanna sent me a game," he said exasperated. He held up the phone so the screen faced me and I saw what looked like a runner game. The character was a tall, thin man and as I watched Mr. Tiny pressed the start button. The screen blurred and then a death sign ended the game, proclaiming the guy had fallen off a cliff. It reminded me strongly of a super charged _Temple Run_ game. "Go ahead and try," Mr. Tiny said and held out the phone. "Apparently any score above 2 is miraculous." When I made no move to take it, he set it down beside my plate and took the breakfast dishes.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure Mr. Tiny was busy with the dishes and picked up the phone, taking it to a large cushy chair in front of the window. There I woke up the phone and pressed start. The screen blurred and my character died painfully. I pressed it again with the same result. Four more times later and I was ready to throw the phone out the window; I probably would have if it hadn't belonged to Mr. Tiny. Again I pressed it and squinted at the screen, gripping the phone so hard my knuckles turned white. This time I managed to keep track of the character as it went down the path, but was unable to react before it fell. I gritted my teeth and pressed start, my breath hissing out with aggravation. This time my thumb moved and I managed to make the character turn around the corner. I was so surprised at my success that I completely missed the next turn. Score: 1, showed up on the screen and I grinned triumphantly. Below the main score in smaller block letters read, High score: 22, player Des. I narrowed my eyes and bit my lip in concentration. Challenge accepted. I pressed start for what felt like the millionth time. This time I rounded the first corner with ease and set onto the next. The run to the next obstacle was a long one. When it came out of the mist I almost missed jumping over a boulder. I grinned and then panicked when the next set of things came one after another so fast I almost slid my character off the side of the path into oblivion. My tongue stuck out of the corner of my mouth and I held the screen dangerously close to my face while I crouched in the chair. I had my head tilted at an odd angle to the screen and one foot was tapping on the seat cushions. Then my character exploded into a million pieces and I blinked. Score: 12 with a blank spot for my name showed up on the screen. I entered Darren and pressed ok. At the menu it now showed my name below the high score, in second place. I scowled.

I shut out Mr. Tiny cleaning and slid down the seat until I sat on the floor, forehead pressed against the window glass while I stared down at the screen, the start button taunting me. I stubbornly pressed it and promptly exploded, not able to grab the same rhythm I had before. I growled and bit my lip, starting the game again. I held onto the frustration and mashed the screen, getting around the first two corners. I had the pattern and was able to fall back into the game, aware of nothing else but the characters pumping legs and the obstacles looming up to kill us. I ducked under trees, flew over boulders and jumped impossibly wide gaps in the path. Four turns one after another almost slipped me up and I let out a long sigh after them, one I hadn't even known I was holding. Again the run to the next thing was so long it made me fall into a false sense of security and I barely slid to one side to avoid the path as it crumbled inward. What I saw next made my body twitch in surprise. Hovering in the air about a hundred yards in game was a sign. Death Point: Des. But just ahead of the sign was a series of blades slicing in an out of the walls and path. I blinked. The sign faded away and I held my breath as my character ran into the middle of a mass of blades. I slid back and forth, gaping as my characters arm was sliced open. I slid my thumb up down, across and back in lightning fast movements. I cleared the blades, but promptly walked off a cliff. I waited torturously long for the score to pop and when it did I dropped the phone. Score: 23. I entered my name and pressed enter, feeling immense satisfaction at seeing my name on the high score. I looked over my shoulder at Mr. Tiny who was packing his bag and debated. Deciding that he would find out anyway, and I had to see his face when he did I got up and quietly crept up behind him.

"I'm done," I said.

Mr. Tiny slung the sack over his shoulder and held out a hand for the phone. "Frustrating game isn't it?" He remarked. It was clear he thought I was giving the phone back to him out of sheer anger.

I said nothing, but put the phone in his palm, with the game menu still shining brightly.

Mr. Tiny turned the phone around and I saw him about to close the game when he noticed the score. His eyes widened and a funny smile played on his lips. He arched an eyebrow and then tucked the phone back into his pocket, eyes shining with delight. "_Very_ good Darren," he said. "Should I take this as a challenge?"

"If you want too," I said innocently and walked away in search of socks. Behind me I could hear Mr. Tiny laughing. A smile of my own crossed my face only fleetingly, but it was there nonetheless. I pulled on sneakers and walked behind Mr. Tiny down five floors to the parking lot.

The red beetle was parked at the far end of the lot, and it was a silent trip to it. I got in the passenger seat and Mr. Tiny shut the doors, starting the car with a barking command. He handed me a foldable knife and I tucked it away. I wondered at the man. He washed dishes by hand, but didn't bother to put keys in the engine. We pulled out of the parking lot and I rolled down the window, watching the road rush by underneath the tires. The carnival was in a large field outside of town and we quickly joined the stream of cars heading toward it. Five minutes later we pulled into a grassy parking spot.

"Wait outside the car for me. I need to put on a disguise," Mr. Tiny said.

I did as asked and leaned against the back window, watching the other people walk toward the carnival and others coming back. A lot of them had their faces painted in wild colors and clutched prizes. One young girl clutched a giant stuffed bear, its feet dragging in the grass. A teenage boy held a giant ice cream and was tipping it this way and that trying to keep the stuff on the cone. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I whirled around, handing flying to my belt before I realized it was Mr. Tiny. The man had taken on the appearance of a boy slightly older then me, with brown hair and blue eyes. The sack had changed into a backpack and instead of his customary outfit he wore a loose pair of jeans and an athletic shirt. I only knew it was him because of the ocean scent he gave off. The boy grinned and grabbed my elbow, pulling me into the crowd. It was all too easy to forget it was Mr. Tiny striding beside me with a slightly protective stance. The lady gave us tickets and we melted into the crowd, bounding toward the closest thing which happened to be a merry-go-round. We watched the spinning lights until boredom set in and then walked a well worn path to another ride.

Along the way we passed people on stilts, slowly meandering their way through the crowd and people with wonderful face paint. Some men had even taken their shirts off and had their torsos painted to match their animal. I passed two bears, a zebra, griffin and a dove before spying a man juggling flaming sticks. I stopped to watch and leaned against the railing. The man had five going at once, flames whipping around his body. Every so often he would gather them up and perform a dangerous trick, like blowing a ball of fire. Mr. Tiny seemed especially taken with the act and I watched him more then the performer, awed at the of longing on his face. Finally he shook himself and steered me away, toward the food. We bought huge hotdogs and I got a huge stick of cotton candy, overhearing Mr. Tiny mutter something about having to deal with sugar rushes. I purposely got another stick after that. We went from ride to ride, going on some and watching the screaming people on others. Mr. Tiny handed a women three dollars and tried his hand at a game.

His first two balls hit the mark perfectly and two ducks fell to the ground. His third however missed entirely. The woman offered him a selection of small prizes and he picked out a stuffed dragon much to my enjoyment. He tucked the animal into the backpack so the head stuck out. I tried the game too and got the same result as Mr. Tiny. When the woman offered up my choices my eyes alighted on a small stuffed wolf. The wolf cub looked so much like a young Rudy it was shocking and I right away picked it out. I bargained for a small bit of string and tied the stuffed toy to my belt, where it bobbed up and down as I walked. Mr. Tiny conceded to more food and we each got ice cream; I chose cookies and cream while he got peanut butter crunch. Mr. Tiny finished first and while I ate he pulled out his phone and opened the game. I smiled behind the cone as he began to play; smirking each time he grunted and restarted.

"Hello," a coy voice said and a woman settled next to me on the bench, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. She was wearing a revealing top and a skirt that rode dangerously high. She batted her eyes and scooted even closer, tracing a path on my cheek. I was in a state of shock and didn't respond. "You have a perfect face for painting," she said and whipped out a brush.

"Um," I managed to say. "Excuse me?"

Mr. Tiny looked like he was having a fit. His shoulders shook and I sent him a death glare over the remains of my ice cream cone.

"Surely you have seen my work around?" The woman said and poked her brush toward Mr. Tiny. "You both would make excellent victims-I mean customers." She gently turned my head back and forth, running an eye over my bruises. She said nothing about them, but I could see pity in her eyes. "Would you allow yourselves to become something else for a few hours?" She gently pulled me to my feet and scooped up Mr. Tiny with the other arm, barely giving him time to put his phone away.

"I suppose there would be no harm," Mr. Tiny said. He and the woman instantly fell into a conversation while I padded quietly behind them, happy to be out of arms reach.

The woman led us to a medium sized tent that a man was just leaving. He was made up to look like a giraffe. Another woman poked her head out and grinned at us. "You got some more subjects?" She looked us up and down and I got the feeling I was being x-rayed. Pointing at me she proclaimed, "I claim the quiet one."

"Of course Jaycee, do I ever disappoint you?" The other woman said and before I could protest Jaycee hooked me under the arm and pulled me into the other half of the tent. I was sat down on a stool and spun to face a full length mirror propped against the tent pole. Jaycee poked and prodded me for several minutes; I watched the shadowy figure of Mr. Tiny on the other side of the tent get the same treatment. "What would you like to become?" Jaycee asked after her examination.

I thought long and hard, but every animal or thing I thought of I discarded almost right away. Unless there was something else I could do, to tell Mr. Tiny something I couldn't out loud. "A dragon," I said. "A blue feathered dragon." I could tell Jaycee approved by the way her eyes lit up. The stool was spun again so I couldn't see myself in the mirror or Mr. Tiny through the thin tent material. I bit my lip before removing my shirt and pointing at the bandages. "Can you work around those?" I asked.

"Yes," Jaycee said thoughtfully, twirling the brush through the air. "It will add to the overall effect nicely." She hauled out buckets of paint and mixed the colors, humming to herself as she worked. Within minutes she had several shades of blue and different sized brushes laid out. She motioned for me to close my eyes and I obliged, tensing momentarily when the brush ran over my skin. The paint was cool, but not unpleasant and it was hard not to open my eyes and see what was going on. She started on my back, using broad sweeping motions and then tiny ones that made my skin itch. With my permission she trimmed the ends of my hair and painted up my neck. She tilted my head this way and that, the brush dancing up and down my nose, cheeks and around my eyes. The detail work I could feel her doing was impressive.

It was hard to sit still when she did my stomach, I was so ticklish. Every so often snorts would escape and Jaycee would playfully whack me on the back of the head with a brush. Then, right when I thought she was done after nearly half an hour Jaycee rinsed out her brushes, mixed a new set of colors and went back over me, tracing the outlines of feathers. She put small spots of paint on my arms too, but I couldn't tell what they were for. Jaycee stepped back and circled me twice; I tilted my head to follow her movements and she laughed, clapping her hands together. "That is the best work I have ever done if I do say so myself." The entire process had taken nearly an hour and a half. The stool spun one more time and I was pulled upright and tugged toward the mirror.

I opened my eyes and gasped. I barely recognized myself under the layers of blue paint that covered my entire upper body. The feathers were perfectly done, layered so they flowed down my shoulders and neck, looking like they would continue down under my jeans. Tiny feathers circled my eyes and went down part of my arms, growing more scattered. The bandages on my stomach had been worked in and it made me look battle worn. I was the dragon completely and utterly. I turned to the side and couldn't keep in another surprised sound. On the back of my shoulders were painted wings that looked like they were about to unfold and carry me away. I flexed my shoulders and the wings rippled eerily. On the rest of my back were the same feathers, but longer then the ones on my front. "This is amazing," I whispered.

Jaycee bowed and clapped her hands, pulling out a camera. She snapped several pictures and even made me flex my shoulders again to make the wings bend. She made me give up the hotel address and promised to send pictures. "Ready to go see what your friend has become?" She asked.

I gulped and nodded.

Jaycee nudged the tent separating Mr. Tiny and I and called. "You done in there?"

"I've been done for half an hour. You are the one taking up all the time."

Jaycee shrugged and pushed me through the tent flap before I could do anything. Mr. Tiny had his back to me on the stool, but it was instantly obvious what he was. Red, yellow and gold wove up and down his body, coming together on his face. When he spun to face me he offered no change of expression and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. He was a flickering flame, and every side of his body was different; when he moved the paint changed with him and I had to admit it looked pretty damn good. I yelped when Jaycee turned me on the spot to show off the wings, and embarrassed I obligingly flexed my shoulders. A little six year old girl poked her head through the tent and I instantly saw the resemblance between her and Jaycee. She looked at Mr. Tiny and giggled, and ran up to me, tracing her hands over the wings. I smiled and crouched down so she could reach easier.

"Good job Mommy," she said happily and then bounced over to Mr. Tiny and gave him the same treatment. He was still staring at me and didn't pay much attention to the girl. His eyes kept running from the bandage, to my back, wings and then to the long feathers. He smiled and I nearly sagged in relief.

A clown stepped into the tent, his horrible painted face leering at me. The world slowed and I took one step, two and then the gun was pulled, pointing at my chest. It fired and I dove sideways, clattering into an easel at the far side of the tent. The clown grabbed the girl and pulled her close, pointing the weapon at me again. I dove out from behind Mr. Tiny's stool, flying overhead and dodge rolling past another bullet.

"Lilly!" Jaycee screamed.

I roared and slapped the tent aside as the clown chuckled and ran. The clown was no human. He smelled like blood and death, a servant to the Lord of the Shadows. I crouched low and shoved through the crowd, knocking aside people as I went. The clown stood out with the girl in his grasp and I moved even faster, ignoring the burning pain that was sliding up my ribs. The clown looked back once and made a rude gesture. Now others in the carnival were becoming ware of what was going on and they started to shout angrily, some giving chase, but driven back by the gun. I leaped over, around and under them. The girl had nothing to do with the clown; he had only taken her to make me follow. She would not end up like Shancus. I cut through a ride, coming dangerously close to being beheaded by the whipping cars. I climbed on top of one and rode it around half the circle leaping off at the last second to gain ground. I could smell Mr. Tiny's scent behind me on the wind and knew he was giving chase, but he would not catch up before I caught my prey.

"Lilly!" I shouted and the girl struggled to make eye contact as I ran, gaining ground with every leaping step. Sirens sounded in the air, but they would not aid us in time. "Close your eyes!" The girl slammed her eyes shut and the clown looked back, painted eyes widening as I cleared the top of another ride and fell through the air toward him. My teeth pulled back in a feral grin and I landed with a crunch on the clowns back, sending him reeling forward. Lilly fell to the ground and I pulled the clown sideways to keep him from landing on her. We fought for dominance, splattering the concrete with drops of blood and sweat. I sank my teeth into the clowns shoulder and black blood pooled into my mouth, tasting like road kill. I spat it out and punched the thing under the jaw, sending him flying backwards into a cotton candy stand. Cans and sticks of the stuff fell on top of the clown, momentarily blinding him as the sticky candy fell into his eyes. I scooped up Lilly who was sobbing and ran back the way I'd come, trusting the authorities to capture the clown. I caught sight of Mr. Tiny and Jaycee running toward us; Mr. Tiny was back in his normal form and he looked pissed. Traces of the paint still remained on his face.

Four more clowns came out of the nearby game stall and sneered at me. I ran past them, and pulled Mr. Tiny's watch out from under my shirt. I tucked the chain and watch into Lilly's hand and gave her a serious look. "Take this to the man beside your mother," I said urgently and set her down. "Go!" Lilly took off and I had two seconds to watch before a hand grabbed the back of my head and pulled me down by my hair. I writhed and grabbed the wrist holding onto me, bending until it broke. I reeled backwards and grabbed the closest clown by the collar of its bright shirt and pulled it close; snapping at its neck. The paint Jaycee had spent so long working on was ruined. I was pinned under the weight of the clowns and they giggled quietly, wrapping thick rope around my legs and hands. I fought the best I could but raps with familiar wooden rods halted any attempts to escape. Only one of the clowns had the rods and I eyed him angrily, frothing at the mouth when he ran the wooden stick up and down my stomach. The magic was back and I grabbed onto it, tasting it and used it to shove away the fear.

"Let the boy go!" Jaycee screamed, pushing through the crowd that was gathering around us.

The clowns giggled and one of them stood up, leaning on the rod casually. "This _boy _is a member of the Cirque Du Freak and is actively working against our cause." He rapped my legs with the rod and I glared at him. Now I knew who he was. Hans Hands had joined the party. A fifth clown joined the group, dragging a kicking and screaming Lilly. I could see the glint of silver around her neck and by the scared look she gave I could tell she hadn't made it to Mr. Tiny. People whispered and shouted, asking questions to the clowns. They all knew what the Cirque Du Freak was, but they were surprised to see the fight taken so close to home. "If anyone tries to follow us this girl will die," hissed Hans. His face was painted in a happy smile, completely different to the others who all wore frowns. The other clowns picked us up and carried us toward the parking lot, past police cars that had just pulled in. I caught a glimpse of Mr. Tiny standing behind Jaycee. But I couldn't do more then stare at his boots as we passed. I prayed he wouldn't do anything to endanger Lilly.

The clowns loaded us into the back of a moving truck and we were tied to the side. Buckets of water were thrown in my face and I was scrubbed down to remove the paint completely. The clowns were not gentle and I gritted my teeth against the pain when they went over my ribs, refusing to show any signs of pain. They left Lilly alone, only telling her to shut up when she let out a sob. Hans kept giving me meaningful looks and stroking the stick up and down my face. I closed my eyes tightly and tried not to let out a scared sound of my own. The dragon huddled on the back of my legs, trying hard to go unnoticed. When the truck stopped we were hauled out and dumped on the grass. The clowns had taken us to a cliff face, at least a hundred feet above a large lake. We were tied to another rock dangerously close to the edge and the clowns talked among themselves only minutes before Hans walked over to me.

"So here we are again!" He said cheerfully and waved the rod. "With you tied up and helpless," Hans smirked and brought down the stick. It slammed into my ribs and I grunted. "Come on! Ask me how I found you!" He hit me again when I didn't respond and a red line appeared across my stomach. He wagged his finger at me and sighed noisily. "Tut, tut Darren, this reminds me of the first few times you came into the trailer. Has Desmond given some of your will back?" He sighed again. "How long until you loose what little you've gained I wonder?" The stick fell and I couldn't stop the pained hiss. Another red line joined the others. Behind my back Lilly grabbed onto my hand I squeezed it back, careful not to harm her little fingers. The beating continued until my entire front was a bruised mess and my head flopped down. I hadn't said a word, except to let out hurt sounds every few minutes. The magic faded away and I closed my eyes.

"Did I tell you to fall asleep?" Hans roared and grabbed my jaw, prying my eyes open with his fingers. As I blinked back tears I saw a red beetle driving toward us in the distance.

I spat in Hans face and the glob rolled down his face. Unlike all the other times, someone was coming for me. I wasn't alone. I watched impassively as the stick was raised again. This time when it fell I strained against the ropes, which had steel bands running through them; using the anger to fuel my strength.

"Aww sorry, but that's not going to work Shan," Hans chided. "That rope is made to hold even a full vampire." He watched my efforts with a cruel expression and then crouched next to me, whispering the words I had heard so many times in my head. "Show me the dragon and I will stop." Except he wouldn't stop. The potion would come out and I would be drugged, and the dragon too so it couldn't flee from the blows.

"No," I spat.

Hans pursed his lips and then moved to Lilly who had never let go of my hand. He held the rod out and raised his eyebrows. "Would you rather watch the little girl get it?" The red beetle grew closer and closer. Mr. Tiny was leaning out the drivers seat with Jaycee on the other side. I growled and pulled at the bonds again. "Decide Shan!" He said and whipped the stick down, but it landed next to the girl. I knew what I would have to do to get out. But could I overcome what Hans had done?

"NO!" I screamed.

"See how he betrays so easily?" Hans told Lilly.

Lilly met my eyes and said in a very serious voice. "The Cirque Du Freak is magic. Use your magic," she insisted. Her hand grasped mine even tighter and I felt the dragon climb up my arm and rest inches from her fingers. "Blow up the bad guys!" She said.

"He won't," scoffed Hans and the other clowns giggled manically.

I thrashed against the ropes and Hans rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you? No vampire can get out!"

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a vampire," I said in a tone of voice that made Hans pause. "At least not entirely." I grabbed onto the anger and held it, letting the fury fill me up until all I saw was the wooden stick and all the pain it had brought me. I growled and leaned forward, pressing my full weight against the ropes. Lilly let go of my hand and I snapped the bonds, grabbing onto the end and whipping them around to snap against the clowns. They fell backward and I was on Hans, sinking my teeth into the side of his neck. I didn't get a good bite but when we separated Hans had blood streaming down his body. The red beetle skidded to a stop and two people jumped out. I no longer remembered their names. All I knew was I had to destroy the stick and blow up the clowns, just as the little girl had asked. I crouched and roared my anger to the sky, feeling fangs push past my lips and past my chin. Real feathers flowed up my body like a river and I lunged forward, yellow eyes burning like the sun. Two more clowns were killed before they could blink, my clawed hands slicing into their guts with quick slashes.

"Show me the dragon!" Hans screamed. His gun was pointing at Lilly. "Show me the dragon damn you!" His free hand pressed into the side of his neck, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

I paused and tilted my head. Lilly was free, my ropes had also been wrapped around her but she was frozen in mid step, trapped between the barrel of a gun and the cliff edge. She looked at me in panic. The two other people were standing behind me, but they were no longer part of the equation. Hans, the cliff, and Lilly were the concerns. Water sparkled far below and I stared at it, a flash of Evra coming to mind: _'There is water you idiot!' _

"Three seconds until the girl dies!" Hans shouted, spit flying from his mouth. "SHOW ME THE DRAGON!"

"As you wish," I said in a dark voice and something in the back of my mind shifted. The cliff face rumbled and rocks bounced down it, splashing into the water which was boiling. I held it back as long as I could and then brought my hand up in a broad sweeping motion. A tower of water exploded over the cliff, rising higher and higher into the sky. Hans lowered his gun to watch. Out of the churning liquid something was forming, slowly at first then faster and faster. A clawed foot sliced through the water, grabbing onto the cliff face. Then a forked tongue and feathered, horned head poked out of the wall. The water crashed back into the lake, and a dragon leaped onto the cliff top, claws clicking over the rocks. The dragon was made entirely of water that rolled around it, never ceasing to move; like rapids after a rainstorm. The claws, tongue and spikes were made of icicles and the feather tips glittered like freshly fallen snow.

The dragon tilted his head, which alone was the size of a mobile home and peered down at us. Lilly appeared next to me, clutching at my belt and I wondered when she had been set down by the dragon. He finished hauling his sinewy body over the cliff side and his tail whipped out, gently grabbing Lilly around the middle and put her on his back. Then he roared, spraying Hans with bits of ice and unfolded his wings. Hans turned and ran, the dragon slinking along behind him like a cat. One claw darted out and nudged Hans in the ass. I ran to head Hans off and he stopped dead, trapped between me and the dragon. He sneered. I growled at him and he paled. The dragon rose up on its hind legs, looming over Hans and I met the spies' eyes. There was no remorse to be found in them; only hatred and regret he hadn't finished me off sooner. I nodded to the dragon and the great beast began to fall. Hans turned and jumped off the cliff, legs pumping in thin air. The dragon jumped too and a paw closed around Hans as they fell. I ran to the edge of the cliff in time to see the dragon fold its wings and dive into the lake with Hans clutched tightly in his claws. The lake closed around the pair and smoothed over, only the little waves remaining to show they had ever been there.

"Lilly!" The woman screamed.

I pushed Lilly behind me, snapping at the man and woman as they grew closer.

"How did you get him to use magic?" The man asked Lilly kindly.

Lilly held tightly to my legs and I stroked the top of her head protectively. "I asked him to blow up the bad men," she said.

"Well can you tell him they are all gone and he can relax?"

"You did it," Lilly informed me.

I stared at the girl blankly and then sagged to the ground, my features melting back into human. Mr. Tiny and Jaycee ran forward and I flinched, still a bit unsure if it was safe to let go of Lilly. The little girl squirmed and this time I did let go, satisfied because she wanted to leave. Lilly ran into her mothers' arms and the two grabbed onto each other tightly. Mr. Tiny approached me unhurriedly and I watched him suspiciously. When he did reach me I growled loudly and scooted backwards a bit. But Mr. Tiny only held out his jacket, and I remembered I'd lost it in the fight. I took it back and pulled it on, thinking that was all Mr. Tiny wanted. But, in the next instant he had me wrapped in a hug. I wanted to hug back and push away at the same time and ended up doing something in between. Now that the magic was gone I was all too aware of the pain and fatigue and I found it very hard to stay awake; Mr. Tiny helped me back to the car and I sat in the backseat with Lilly who pulled a blanket out from under the seat and tucked it around me. I smiled at her and curled into a little ball, falling asleep to the sound of Lilly asking to go on the dragon ride again.

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**R&amp;R please? :D :D **


	20. Chapter 19- Writers Block Overcome

A.N.

No I haven't abandoned this story! I am so sorry for the extended absence. I had a bad case of writers block and could not get past it for a long time. Thanks to FanBladeX100 for sending me a message that helped cure it :). Anyway...forgive me please! The updates will be regular now, but may be a bit longer in between at first while I get back into the story.

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I came alive, kicking, shouting and pleading. _Something _was touching my back, smoothing over the bruised lines in my skin. I fought hard and shoved with arms and legs, knocking the thing off me. Nothing was ever going to touch me again, and harm the dragon. Fingers closed around my hand and pulled it down, and a voice broke through the haze of panic. "Stop it Darren!" But I couldn't. Not while there was any chance of danger. The same voice muttered something and my limbs went slack, falling sleep unwillingly.

Again the touch, this time even closer to the sleeping dragon curled on my side. I arched up, lashing out with a clawed hand and sliced into flesh. Hands latched onto my wrists and a heavy weight settled onto my knees. Someone was pleading for me to calm down, but I couldn't; not with the stifling weight and fingers digging into my skin. I screamed until my throat gave out and then dropped off, sinking back into blackness where nobody could get to me.

I lay perfectly still, taking deep, but shuddering breaths. Nobody was around and nothing but the soft sheets and blankets touched my skin. The pain was mostly gone, but my ribs still ached. The dragon purred and wound up my arm, snuffling at my ear. It seemed healthier too, and the echo pain from the dragon was all but gone. I listened hard for any sound before stretching out a hand and petting the dragon. But the calm was broken by footsteps outside the room and the dragon shot back down to my knee and I slammed my eyes shut, tilted my head to the side and tried to adopt a relaxed expression. Under the covers my hands were clenched into fists.

"Don't touch him," a male voice warned and it took several seconds to identity him as Mr. Tiny. Three sets of footprints were coming into the room; two human and one that sounded like Imoo's distinctive swagger.

"Was it really necessary to keep him locked in your trailer for days?" Harkat asked in annoyance. I listened to his stride until it stopped beside my bed, speaking overtop me to Mr. Tiny.

Mr. Tiny did something that caused his clothing to rustle considerably and I realized he was settling into a chair. "Yes it was. He was inconsolable." There was a brief pause. "What Hans, Vancha and to an extent Evanna did caused damage I cannot see a solution too."

"To an extent?" Harkat asked furiously. "She nearly killed him! She had no right to do that! The look on his face…he looked completely shattered." The Little Person began to pace around the room. "And now I know that Darren had just found out what Hans had been doing to him. The witch only ground the pain and fear deeper! And then you kept him locked up in here for five days! What was that about anyway?"

A weight settled next to my side and burrowed under the covers. Imoo's head bumped against my clenched fist and nibbled on my fingers until I loosened my grip. He wriggled under my hand and began to purr. I appreciated Harkat defending me, but his pacing footsteps and Mr. Tiny's agitated scent was giving me a headache.

"Darren flooded the trailer exactly three times. He was not in control of himself and simple touches to apply salve sent him into a full blown panic attack. Bringing him out would have made no difference, he was not aware of who anyone was. To bring more people into the situation would only have made things worse," Mr. Tiny said patiently.

Harkat growled but subsided into frustrated silence for only moments. "I don't understand. He has faced worse then this."

"He was extremely vulnerable when he first learned of his dragon. He was already protective of it, and then found out he was being hurt without even knowing. Now there will be little else in his mind except to make sure that never ever happens again. If that means shutting out every person in the world or becoming violent, then that is exactly what he will do. Right now trusting even you would be impossibility. He may act like he does, but the moment you move to touch him the pretense will fall apart," Mr. Tiny said. He got up and Harkat followed him out of the room, where they continued the conversation in a quieter tone.

I felt ashamed and sick, but the truth of what Mr. Tiny had said was ringing in my ears. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and noted with some surprise I was wearing Mr. Tiny's jacket again. All the buttons were done up and I had no wish to expose the skin it would take to put on a regular shirt. I went into the bathroom and gulped water from the faucet, keeping the water level low so no sound escaped. The cool liquid was refreshing on my sore throat. Imoo sat outside when I opened the door and tilted his head inquisitively when I went back into the bedroom and slid back under the covers. The window was inviting, the idea of slipping outside and never coming back appealing, but the brief trip to the bathroom had taken a lot of energy.

"Darren," Harkat said quietly from behind.

I whipped around and brought the covers up to my chest, narrowing my eyes at the Little Person.

Harkat held up a plate of buttered toast. "We saw you go into the bathroom. Mr. Tiny doesn't think your stomach can handle normal food yet, so here you go." He set the plate on the edge of the bed and retreated.

Grudgingly, I picked up the plate and scooted up to the headboard, pointing at the edge of the bed. "Sit down. I'm not a china doll nor will I rip you to pieces. Just don't get to close," I said warningly. Imoo was the gap filler between us, spreading out to take up a lot of space. Him acting as a barrier was comforting, even though Harkat could easily reach over the monster. Harkat looked relieved and I gave him a tiny smile which was returned widely. I sniffed the toast before devouring the slices, feeling strangely full by the third piece. The very idea of eating another piece was sickening, even though in the past I could easily have eaten five or six.

"You lost a lot of weight," Harkat said when he noticed my disturbed expression. "I doubt you will be able to eat a full meal for a while yet." He looked up from his own plate after a minute or two and slapped himself on the forehead. "I nearly forgot! Mr. Tiny asked me to give you this." He held out Mr. Tiny's cell phone. "He had to go out and take care of camp stuff, but he will be back soon." Glowing on the screen was a new high score of 40.

I made no move to take the phone and Harkat set it on the bed. Only then did I pick it up and quirk an eyebrow. "If he wants to play that way, so be it," I said and set aside my plate. I pressed play and was quickly lost to the game; but it was much harder then I remembered it. Even getting to my previous score was nearly impossible I was so tired. Eventually I just set the phone aside, and decided to wait. "I want to go outside," I said finally, and got up unsteadily. Harkat reached out to help me and I flinched backward so violently I toppled into the side table and sent it, the lamp and the plate crashing to the floor. I grabbed the table and brought it up like a shield, then decided more drastic measures were needed as Harkat was trying to reach around it. I sent the table flying into Harkat and it pinned him to the trailer wall, the chair legs sinking deep into the wall. Harkat slumped unconscious and the fiery anger and fear cooled, as the threat was ended. The trailer door slammed open and I growled, fangs digging into my lower lip while I waited for the newest person to round the corner. When they did I roared and mentally shut the door with an earth shaking bang. _Evanna! _ The witch called something through the door but I ignored her and dodged past Harkat who had woken and was trying to push the chair off himself. I punched through the window when the lock wouldn't obey my shaking hand and vaulted outside. Imoo looked after me and then went back inside.

The sunlight was blinding and I squeezed my eyes shut, crawling underneath the trailer into cool darkness. Nobody else in the Cirque Du Freak seemed to know what was going on and I lay in the quiet, breathing hard. From above my head came the sounds of a chair being pulled free from the wall and then the trailer door swung open, much more quietly then last time. Harkat and Evannas' feet walked around the trailer, and shortly after Imoo slipped out and under the trailer. I grabbed the monster and pulled him to my chest, pressing him against my racing heart. Evanna stopped feet from where I was and I dug my fingers into the dirt, pulling back my lips. If she bent down…

The witch walked away, her steps growing longer and faster the further away she went and Harkat followed.

_**'Are you alright Darren?' **_questioned Imoo uneasily. He squirmed his way free and curled up at my side.

**'No,'** I responded.

_**'Harkat was not severely hurt,' **_Imoo said_**. 'Merely a bump on the head,'**_

**'There shouldn't even be a scratch!' **Iexclaimed.I knew exactly what would have happened if Harkat had not been knocked out. If he had managed to free himself and kept coming after me, I would have resorted to even worse things.

**'**_**Asking yourself to be completely normal right now is unreasonable,' **_Imoo said quietly_**. 'Is this not like when you were first blooded? Feeling completely out of place?' **_

_** '**_**Yes,' **I said unenthusiastically**. 'This is pretty close.'**

"Darren!" Evanna called, circling back to the trailer. Her scent was concerned and regretful, but I had no trust for her anymore. If anything I now disliked her more then Mr. Tiny.

_**'I doubt she told Mr. Tiny that you are missing. She probably wants to find you without his help if she can,' **_Imoo said, also watching the witch move around the housing trailers.

**'I'm not missing, I'm right below the spot I was five minutes ago,' **I said snidely.

_**'Desmond's reaction if he does find out you are "gone" will be rather entertaining, yes?'**_ Imoo asked.

I grinned for the first time in awhile. My heart rate had slowed while talking to Imoo and it was with a much calmer mind I watched Evanna search for me. I was still in no state to come out of hiding, but I was no longer panicked to the point of killing someone. '**I don't understand why she can't find me. She hasn't had any trouble in the past, not even when I was disguised. I'm barely feet from her now!' **

** '**_**Maybe you are doing something to hinder her," **_Imoo suggested with amusement_**. 'Something magical.' **_

"Come out Darren!" Evanna shouted, but her words still had a hushed quality.

**'I don't know how to tell if I am,' **I said helplessly.

Imoo fell silent and I wriggled further under the trailer when Evanna circled it again. Now I was in the exact middle, with the floor pressing down above me. It was slightly claustrophobic, but it was better then going out there. Evannas calls were becoming more urgent, and now I could hear someone else coming. Harkat joined her, but even the Little Person could not lure me out. Eventually he left too and the look he gave Evanna on the way out said he was displeased with her.

_**'Go back into the trailer,' **_Imoo said.

**'No.' **

_**'Do it.'**_

**'No!'**

Imoo growled. _**'Would you rather Mr. Tiny drag you out from under here by your feet?'**_

I stiffened and immediately crawled to the side of the trailer where the door was. Evanna was on the back side and I gathered every ounce of courage I had and bolted out from under the trailer, easing open the door and slipping inside. The door shut without a sound and I dived back into the bedroom, hiding under the bed so I wouldn't be seen through the window. Imoo joined me right before Evanna went back into the trailer. Too late I realized my foot was sticking out from under the bed. But too my complete disbelief Evanna looked in the bedroom, eyes grazing over my foot and then walked away without any change in expression. I blinked. Evanna reappeared right when I was sliding out from under the bed completely and I stilled, paling. But again she just looked blankly over me. Imoo looked between us and then looked again. And again.

_**'I do believe you have done it this time,' **_Imoo said.

"I didn't do anything!" I screeched.

Evanna whipped around and stared at the spot somewhere over my left shoulder. Thankfully she had the foresight not to reach out. Instead she went to the door and leaned against it, her head slightly tilted. "Darren? She questioned. "Show yourself please."

"I am right here!" I shouted and sat back on the bed. The mattress sank in slightly and Evanna's eyes widened. I leaned down, exhausted and Evanna raised her hands palm up.

"Stay here," she said and left the room with Imoo following close behind. The door shut behind her and I groaned. Then the lock clicked and I was up on my feet, stumbling across the room. I yanked on the doorknob but it was shut fast. I pounded on it fruitlessly, and then looked back to the window. It was repaired and by the looks of it, would take more then a fist to break it. I screamed and kicked the door. My body was past its endurance limit and I drew on magic to fuel myself, slamming into the door with my body. But the wooden door held fast, reinforced by whatever Evanna had put on it. Even when the dragon crawled out from under Mr. Tiny's jacket and onto my fingers, adding its own power the door didn't budge. Only when I smelled ocean air did I abandon the door and bolt back to the far corner of the room, sinking down the wall with a sigh. The magic faded away and I was reduced to a weary heap. The door swung open and Mr. Tiny entered first, his eyes flicking around the room. They never settled on me and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Even he couldn't see me? That was an enjoyable shock.

"What makes you think he is still here?" Mr. Tiny asked.

"He could not have gotten out," Evanna said firmly. "I made sure of that."

Mr. Tiny grimaced and immediately opened the door about a foot. Not big enough for me to slip through without notice, but I was no longer completely trapped. "You know all about his troubles, yet you shut him in a trailer?" He looked around the bedroom and I scooted away from his gaze. But when I moved his eyes snapped onto me and his head tilted slightly, like he thought he knew I was there but couldn't quite decide if I was. Imoo came back in and stretched lazily; eyeballing me critically and I wondered why he could see me. Mr. Tiny was watching Imoo and then he sighed. "Imoo can see him."

"What?" Evanna said. She stared at Imoo and put her hands on her hips. "Where is he?"

Imoo ignored her and curled up on the bed.

I suppressed a smile.

"I can sense him, but I cannot see him. He is standing in the room that much I know," Mr. Tiny said, then addressed me. "Darren I would like you to reveal yourself."

I decided that, as I had no idea how to do that I wouldn't anyway I was better off just showing my position. I reached over the bed to the side table and picked up Mr. Tiny's phone, hoping it didn't turn invisible too. By the look on Mr. Tiny's face it hadn't though, and he scratched his chin. Evanna took a step forward and I dropped the phone; it skittered under the bed and I was back in the corner. Mr. Tiny scowled and turned on Evanna. "He is very defensive right now, so I suggest we both keep our distance!"

"He is also injured!" Evanna retorted, "Did you not think of that?" Her scent was filled with anxiety and annoyance. "Whether he likes it or not subduing him and his magic would be better in the long run."

Mr. Tiny sat down on the floor in front of the door, crossed his legs and shrugged. "Go ahead. See where it gets you."

Evanna rolled her eyes and walked into the middle of the room. She was looking completely in the wrong direction and in spite of the situation I was stifling laughter. "He is a temperamental teenage boy, with a loose control and knowledge of magic."

I narrowed my eyes. Temperamental indeed. I would show her temperamental! I picked up a pillow and threw it at the witch, nailing her directly in the face. For some reason she looked at the opposite side of the room and with a jolt I knew she thought I had used magic to move it. Mr. Tiny sat placidly in front of the door, eyebrows raised in an expression of amused worry. Even though his body was still, by the way his eyes were moving around the bedroom he had a much better idea of where I was then his daughter. I didn't doubt for a second that if I went close to him, he would grab me. Tiring of the games, I sagged against the bed and tried not to let another sigh escape. Evanna was stretching her foot out and probing the air with her toes every few feet, growing closer and closer by the second. I growled warningly and the sound hovered, drawing Evanna even closer, not pushing her away. I tiredly crawled away, deciding that actually being closer to Mr. Tiny would be a better idea; the witch might be too annoyed to consider looking by him. The magic wasn't leaping to defend this time, and I guessed it was because I was already invisible.

Mr. Tiny held out a hand and the cell phone zipped into his palm. He looked at the game on the screen and then frowned. The score was only 10. He kept what he was thinking to himself however, and tucked the phone away.

Evanna suddenly whipped around when I settled beneath the reinforced window and shot toward me, expression melting into one of triumph. I had no time to haul myself up before her hand closed around my upper arm and pulled me toward her. I had a split second to wonder how odd it must look to be grabbing nothing, before fangs curled down over my lip and I lashed out with a clawed hand. The ropes on Evanna's stomach split, and though I didn't draw blood nasty scratches curled their way along her skin. I sank my teeth into her wrist and hung on tightly, not being strong enough to struggle. But I would cause some pain. I snarled and scales rippled their way up my skin, causing the bandages underneath Mr. Tiny's jacket to fall off. They dangled from my body, no longer invisible and I grunted when Evanna bent my other arm behind my back.

"Let me go!" I said, words dissolving into a furious growl.

Evanna pressed on and shoved me against the wall, her entire weight pushing me against the painted surface. Even though the walls had been painted years before, they smelled horrible to my sensitive nose and I gagged. Then her weight was gone and I turned around to see Mr. Tiny practically sitting on top of his daughter while they screamed at each other. I caught words here and there, but most of it was a blur. I quietly opened the door and slipped out; deciding that letting them work it out without me in the near vicinity would be a better idea. I dimly knew that other people were staring at me, and frowned. Being invisible had been much better. Bandages trailed behind me and I ripped them away angrily. I cursed Imoo for making me go back inside the trailer and completely ignored him when he walked up behind me. I ached everywhere.

_**'You failed to attack Evanna when she touched you. Why?' **_Imoo asked curiously.

I scowled and walked faster, which brought me up to a turtles pace**. 'Go away!'** I said harshly.

_**'What did I do?**_' Imoo asked.

**'None of that would have happened if I hadn't gone in there!'**

_**'It was necessary.'**_

**'Why?'** I demanded.

_** 'Tell me why you did not attack Evanna and I will answer you,' **_

I hunched my shoulders and finally ran out of steam, sitting on the ground slightly behind a trailer by the wards. '**I don't know!'** I said loudly. **'I was already invisible and that didn't help much at all! Why would I do anything else with magic?'**

_** 'Mr. Tiny said that wouldn't matter though, you are in complete defensive mode,' **_Imoo said.

I thumped my head against the trailer and then jumped when Mr. Tiny rounded the corner. A long scratch ran down his cheek and he sighed in the next second. "Don't do that," he said tiredly. "Especially in your case."

I shimmered back into view and glowered. "Why not?"

"You have magical exhaustion," Mr. Tiny said. "Otherwise Evanna would not be in the pissed off, but healthy condition she is in now." His face grew serious. "I may have been picking up pieces across the campsite." He gestured for me to get up and I did. "Let's go back to the trailer and fix those bandages. I think you are nearly healed, but events may have set that back somewhat." He walked away and I followed, flashing in and out of invisibility whenever he looked at me.

We went back inside Mr. Tiny's trailer and thankfully nobody but Debbie and Evra were there. There was no sign of the conflict that happened only minutes before and I got into bed, carefully applying salve underneath the blankets. Mr. Tiny had been right. I was almost healed, but the last bit of pain was worse because of Evanna. Too late, I figured out the salve had something in it that was making it very hard to sit up straight. I toppled sideways onto the pillows and blinked fuzzily. It wasn't putting me to sleep completely, but I felt extremely relaxed. Evra and Debbie were in the corner of the room and I caught snatches of their conversation, registering their words without fear.

"Vancha is being held in a cell. He will be taken to Vampire Mountain and tried for his crimes."

"Is he showing any sign of remorse?"

"Sometimes, but mostly he just rants about how he should have gotten another crack at Darren."

Mr. Tiny returned with a plate of sandwiches and set them on the table before the teetering pile fell sideways. I made no move to get one; even in my current state of relaxation I was in no rush to go into the midst of people. The effects of the salve wore off quickly and I was back to perching on the edge of the bed warily. I was sore, but feeling much, much better then before. I was almost normal, if you didn't count the odd fluttering fear I got when anyone walked by. Mr. Tiny and Debbie were together in a corner, whispering about Vancha and I studiously ignored them,, instead turning to Evra and asking to go outside. Evra nodded and headed out the door first, recognizing my reluctance to have him behind me. The day was hot, but not unpleasantly so. No clouds were in the sky and the camp was very quiet. I craned my ears and picked up a flurry of sound by the entrance to camp; harsh, but whispered insults and chains dragging across the ground.

I growled when the wind swept through camp, carrying a multitude of scents. But it was only one I cared: Vancha. I bolted over the dry ground, hands clenched with Evra calling behind me. My eyes burned molten yellow and it was with blind fury I finally rested my gaze on Vancha. He was chained to a wagon; Mika and Arrow were securely wrapping the ends of the chains around the posts embedded in the wagons floor. The Princes chest was bare, and cuts crisscrossed his skin, but he had no expression of pain on his face. In fact he looked empty. But when his eyes rested on me he came alive, twisting in the chains that cut into his skin, spraying spit. Mika stuffed a gag into his mouth and Vancha fell silent. I had no eyes for the Prince however. I was looking at the necklace shining on his neck and I recalled the memories. _One pair of eyes filled with hatred, the other pleading and trapped. _I had seen a similar necklace on Steve.

"Darren," Harkat said and held out his hand. "Don't come any closer."

I ignored the Little Person and strode forward, stopping just within arms reach of Vancha, who strained against the chains. I wasn't afraid this time, not with the vampire powerless. A wild anger swept me up and I grabbed Mika's sword out of his belt. I held it against the thudding pulse point in Vancha's neck and smirked coldly. "Quiet a change, eh?" I growled. "I'm not the one who is helpless this time!" The sword tip dug in and a thin line of blood ran down the vampire's neck. Vancha tossed his head and mumbled what would have been insults through the gag. I locked eyes with him and tilted my head.

"It is within your power to execute him," Arrow said evenly.

"Yes," I hissed.

"But it would be more prudent to try him for his crimes at Vampire Mountain."

"Why there? The outcome will be the same, either here or there," I spat. The sword was lowered from Vancha's neck and I raised it above my head; whistling the blade through the air. "But here the satisfaction would be…endless." All I could see was the vampires' eyes, which were a direct contradiction to his violent body. _Help, _his eyes pleaded_. Help me, help me. _But the memories of also begging, lying on the trailer floor while he hit me over and over out weighed any merciful thoughts. The sword quivered and the other Princes stepped back, allowing me to deal out whatever I saw fit to do.

"Vancha," I said sharply when the vampire lowered his gaze. "Look at me." The Prince looked up and I gripped his chin, keeping my arm well out of where the sword would fall. "You understand this needs to be done," I said fiercely. "It will only hurt for a moment, then…then it will be over." _'And the dragon will be safe,' _I thought satisfied. I brought up the sword again, this time holding it steady and drew back, keeping Vancha's gaze pinned to mine.

I brought the sword down in a long sweeping stroke. The blade cut through flesh, meeting only a faint resistance then continued down. Vancha slumped in his chains and I stepped back, dropping the bloody sword.

"Darren what have you done?"

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Yay a cliffhanger!

R&amp;R Please? Free heaps of cookies for anyone who does.


	21. Chapter 20- The Leopard

**A.N. Back from a trip : D**

**I have decided that there will be a sequel to this story! **

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The sword hit the ground and rolled over. I reached out and caught the necklace as it fell into, the links pooling into my hand. The chain had been harder to cut through then expected. A drop of blood rolled down the front and I brushed it away with a thumb, turning away from Vancha. "He died free," I muttered. "No less then what he would have wanted." The necklace had been removed and the binds on Vancha's mind severed along with the chain. There had been no hope for freeing him while he was alive. The magic in the necklace had been too wrapped up in his body. I walked away in silence, tucking the necklace into a pocket. Only when I was well into the house and in my bedroom did I take it out again and look it over. The magic fueling the thing was almost gone and the last traces plucked at my fingertips before sputtering out completely. I threw supplies into a backpack before climbing out the window and dropping nimbly to the ground. It was time to confront Steve. The fact that I was not yet completely healed mattered little. Every second he stayed in the Shadow Lords power further drove him away from the possibility of rescue. The necklace Steve wore was bringing him closer and closer to meeting the same fate as Vancha. I was numb to Vancha's death. Later I would grieve, but now that the dragon was safe, I could focus on another quest.

It was easy to avoid the other performers and I slipped out of the wards and into the trees, heading for the place where Steve had left the letter. There I brushed my hand over the ground and sniffed the air. The scent was long gone, but an impression of the man remained, faint but unmistakable. I followed it, eyes glowing yellow. A strand of light hung in the air, throbbing bright blue. It was Steve, but his thread was intertwined with darkness. The blue was almost completely stifled by the black and I knew I had little time. I raced through the trees, and onto the lakeshore, barely pausing as the water lapped around my ankles then supported me as I ran on top of the water. The thread grew thicker when I reached the other side of the lake, and I knew Steve was close. The Lord of the Shadows would have kept him close to camp to spy on us. Only five miles past the lake I smelled the strong scent of vampaneze, and crouched low to the ground, circling around the area where Steve's camp was. When I finally laid eyes on my brother it was with a sinking feeling that I crept closer.

Steve looked terrible. His skin was pale and dark circles hung under his eyes. His clothes hung off his body and a faint odor hung around his body, like he hadn't washed in days. But there was still power about him, in the way he sat and held his head. A necklace hung in front of his filthy shirt, almost identical to the one Vancha wore. When I purposely stepped on a twig, Steve's head shot up and he picked up a short sword lying next to him. I stepped into the light and Steve turned toward me, slowly and deliberately. His tired eyes narrowed, but there was no hatred in them. Just resignation. But his sword hand rose threateningly and I raised my own two swords.

"I came to talk in peace," I said quickly. "Even your Lord can abide by those rules?"

Steve stiffened and then the sword tip lowered just a fraction. But it was enough. His necklace twinkled in the dusk sunlight.

"I can free you," I said and sheathed my swords, keeping a hand on the hilt of the dragon sword. I was more certain then ever Steve was not as far gone as Vancha. Severing the link between him and the necklace wouldn't kill him.

"This has nothing to do with peace talks," Steve hissed and his weapons were back into fighting position in an instant.

"I know that's not you speaking Steve," I said.

Steve grinned darkly and stalked toward me. "How do you know Shan? I've been itching to sink this weapon in you ever since I lost that night on the bridge. My Lord gave me another chance to do that. And I'm not going to pass up the opportunity when it foolishly walks into camp!"

I met his over cut smoothly and rolled away, coming up on the other side of the fire. "The letter you left says otherwise."

Steve followed me around the fire, body bent toward me. "That letter was nothing more then a trap playing to your foolhardy idea of redemption." He was still a formidable fighter even in his exhaustion and a rip appeared in my shirt.

"No Steve, it wasn't," I intoned and dodged again, ignoring yet another slice up my sleeve.

"You know nothing!" Steve roared and in his anger, failed a strike at my throat. He was even more off balance then at the start of the fight. Steve lunged again and almost tripped headfirst into the flames. I used the flat of my blade to push him away and side stepped his recovering strike.

I spoke again, searching for the Steve behind the necklace. "Are you ready to kill me Steve? Are you going to drag my dead body into the Shadow Lords camp and present me triumphantly? He brought you back like a puppet and now you dangle on the end of your strings, twitching and dancing to his every whim. The Steve I knew would never have tolerated that. He would have fought to the very last breath to be free."

"I was a puppet before I died. We both were." Steve hissed. "Only this time instead of Mr. Tiny steering it's the Lord of the Shadows. What difference does a name make?"

I groaned as a cut appeared above my left wrist. Seeking to get some space between us I whipped my hand back and blew fire toward Steve. The blast was not close enough to do more then singe, but Steve jumped backward. "You died wrapped around another person's finger last time. Do you truly want that this time?"

"What I want does not matter," Steve growled.

"Yes it does!" I snapped. "You are my brother! Whether you like it or not I will keep following you! I never left you when we were kids and I won't now."

Steve halted in his charge and froze, his sword hand wobbling uncertainly. His face melted into confusion and I lowered my weapon. He looked childishly young in that moment, hovering between attacking and standing down. A hopeful expression crossed his face and I sheathed my weapons, crossing the space between us in an instant; pulling Steve into a hug that made my ribs ache. Steve didn't move, except to drop his sword and I gripped the necklace between us.

"I killed Vancha because the magic had already taken him. That isn't true for you. Yet."

Steve shuddered, his body fighting a battle of wills with itself. He groaned. "No…" he grunted. His body bent slightly, hand reaching for the sword and I kicked it out of his reach. "Let me go Shan!" He screamed into my ear and dug a elbow into my ribs.

I howled and fell backwards, landing in the fire with a shower of sparks. The flames didn't burn me and I rolled out of the fire, batting away sparks on my clothing. Steve gaped and scowled, any hint of the person I'd found only moments ago vanishing.

"I will kill you Shan," Steve shouted and picked up his sword. He ran at me and I dodged back into the flames, using my out of control powers to whip the fire into frenzy; sending sparks showering around the campsite. Steve yelped and slapped at his face. I only let the fire die when he was well back.

"Stay back," I snarled. Defensiveness was coming back full force. Steve's bag flew open and his water shot out, the bottles splitting open. The water hung in the air for a moment, shimmered and then took the shape of a trident; flying at Steves chest.

Steve ducked and the trident exploded into a shower against a tree trunk. He whipped a knife out of his belt and threw it at me.

Preoccupied with the flames still licking at my hands I didn't move in time and the knife plunged into my upper arm. I screamed and fell backwards, clawing at the hilt. I pulled it out and pressed my hand over the wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood. I drew on Imoo and pleaded for him to come. The monster sent assent and I returned to the battle, twisting aside to avoid another knife. Mr. Tiny's words about magical exhaustion came back and I wondered what would happen if I continued to use magic so freely.

"I told you the next time we met you would have to kill me!" Steve roared.

I ripped off part of my sleeve and wrapped it around my upper arm, cinching it tightly with a grunt. "You said on the battlefield." I was thinking wildly, trying to figure out how to give Steve a fighting chance against the magic without him killing me in the process.

"This looks very much like a battlefield!" Steve shouted, gesturing to the scattered campsite and the blood dotting the ground.

I ran at Steve headlong, colliding with him so hard he went flying backwards. We slammed into the ground inches from a fallen tree and I pinned Steve beneath me, grabbing at the necklace with bloody fingers. Steve tried to ram his head into mine but I pressed my claws into his neck and he stilled, panting hard. I could not keep Steve trapped for more then a few seconds, so I did the only thing I could; I gripped the pendant hanging from the chain and dragged my finger down its length. A long scratch appeared in the surface and Steve arched, limbs twitching. I did it again, making an X in the back and let go, sprawling backwards in the dirt. Steve lay there for a long time, shaking hard before he rolled over and rose to his feet. I had slowed the magic's progress on him, but it was clear he would not be returning to his old self today.

We both were at the end of our strength, but Steve managed to wrap a hand around his sword. I watched him approach and drew back my lips in a low growl.

"You rely too much on magic now," Steve said derisively. "I think you need a little reminder of how creatures of the night fight!" He brought the sword down and I hissed as it cut into my other arm.

Imoo flew into the clearing, whipped out a paw and backhanded Steve smartly across the face; nimbly landing on the ground and spinning around for another slice at the vampaneze.

I got up and drew on magic again, using it to fuel my body and met Steve over the campfire in a clash of tangled limbs and blades. Imoo was forced back as I mercilessly pushed Steve backwards, bringing down my hands for blow after blow; driving him to the ground. Steve fell when I chopped him in the back of the neck and I toppled after him, completely spent. Imoo reached out to cut Steve's neck and I blocked him. "No," I whispered.

'_**You had no problem killing Vancha!'**_ Imoo hissed,

'**Vancha was already gone. Steve isn't,'** I muttered.

Imoo sent me a spiteful look but withdrew and watched as I took a length of rope out of Steve's bag and tied him to a tree. The bonds would not keep him bound for long, but it would have to be enough. Until Steve made up his mind to be free, or was lost to the Shadow Lords magic I would not kill him.

Only when I stood in the middle of the lake did I stop and crumple onto the water, nearly sending Imoo into the lake. The lake surface still supported me, but I didn't care about getting wet. I had murdered Vancha. At the time it hadn't even been totally about ending his suffering, but instead to keep the dragon safe. It wasn't a selfless act. I buried my face in my hands and wept for the Prince; vowing never to loose another friend to the Shadow Lord. Steve was next on his list, and I would not let that happen. The confrontation between the Lord of the Shadows and I was growing nearer all the time and facing him would be that much harder with Steve on the dark side. It was dark before I felt strong, and had enough control of my emotions to get up and head toward the wards.

Mr. Tiny was waiting and he grabbed me by the shoulder the moment I stepped through, ignoring my attempts to twist away. "For the next week you are staying right where I can see you," he huffed, not putting any real anger behind the words. His eyes were solemn, and I appreciated him not speaking about Vancha. "Even if I have to tie you to the bed!" He looked me over and groaned. "And you have undone all that perfectly good healing too…"

I was in too much pain to comment on any of it and dutifully followed Mr. Tiny back to the house where he led me up to my room and sat me on the bed. I sat down and watched as he snapped his fingers and made bandages and a bottle of salve appear in his hands. He didn't ask what I had been doing, and refused to let me tend to my injuries.

"Take off the jacket," he ordered.

I shook my head and tried to ignore the blood dripping out of the sleeve. "No thank you," I said. I just wanted to fall into bed and ignore the world, preferably for at least twelve hours.

Mr. Tiny frowned. "If you would rather sit here and bleed to death, then continue by all means. If not, take the jacket off."

"I can take care of my own injuries!" I snapped.

"Not when you continuously run off on these foolish missions!" Mr. Tiny clicked his fingers and the bed covers sprang to life, wrapping once around my legs and then melted into the sheet, binding me. "You will sit here, accept medical treatment, get some rest and stay within the camp boundaries for at least a week."

I gaped at Mr. Tiny. "I'm grounded?" I exclaimed and tugged at the blankets, turning invisible.

Mr. Tiny unwound the bandages and unscrewed the salve. "Effectively, yes," he said without a trace of amusement. He waited patiently until my magic tired and I came back into view. "Use much more magic and you will be unconscious for the duration of your grounding." He clicked his fingers and my jacket flew off, folding itself on the end of the bed.

Caught off guard, the dragon was displayed on my stomach for a second before it flew down to my legs. I screamed at Mr. Tiny, using words I didn't even know I knew until I ran out of breath. Then I promptly bit his hand when he wrapped the first length of cloth around my knife wound. My fangs sank deep into his finger, and Mr. Tiny snapped his hand back. I stared at him defiant and shaking. What I wasn't telling, was that the dragon had caught a glancing blow to his back leg; but that part of the dragon had been resting on my hip and out of Mr. Tiny's eyesight.

Mr. Tiny approached me again and continued to wrap the bandage around my arm, avoiding my occasional snaps at his fingers. He hummed something under his breath for awhile before speaking. "Your dragon is fine-looking," Mr. Tiny said and I could sense his smile over my shoulder.

I didn't acknowledge the brief flare of satisfaction. But the dragon did and I felt his tail whip briefly out of hiding and back down. I hunched up and huffed loudly. "If I could use magic…" I grumbled.

"I would be tied up on the ceiling and you would be far, far away," Mr. Tiny said. He finished one arm and moved around to my front to tend the other cuts.

In a way I was glad that my magic was completely exhausted. I wasn't flying into a blind panic, or becoming murderous. The fear was there, but muted. "Yes," I said, not admitting to imagining more drastic things then tying him on the ceiling.

"I mixed pain killers into the salve," Mr. Tiny said and this time he sounded amused. "The medication is along the same type to the sedative you had a reaction to. They will be kicking in very soon."

"WHAT!" I screeched. "I wasn't in that much pain!"

"The salve I used is specially made to heal injuries very quickly. The feeling of skin knitting together at the cellular level is highly unpleasant." Mr. Tiny undid the binds holding me to the bed and I glared resentfully at him, but scooted backwards to the headboard. "Is there anywhere else you are injured that I should treat?" The magician asked.

"No," I said.

Mr. Tiny leaned forward. "Let me rephrase the question. Is there any place you or the _dragon_ is hurt?"

"No," I lied. The room was going fuzzy around the edges. In the next two seconds I tipped forward and would have face planted into the bed if Mr. Tiny hadn't pushed me back and laid me flat on the bed. The dragon fell out of my pant leg, too relaxed to stay in a tight ball. Nothing seemed important except the soft, wonderful blankets. I rubbed them and pulled them up to cover my face, reveling in the softness. The pillows were next and I examined them intently, trying to figure out the secrets behind their puffiness.

"Are you hurting anywhere Darren?" Mr. Tiny asked and his voice came from far away.

I shrugged absentmindedly and petted the pillows, asking the dragon if he preferred the blue or green one. I agreed that the blue one had a much better feeling and tossed the offending green thing off the bed, hugging the chosen one to my chest. When Mr. Tiny asked again if I was in pain I knew I answered, but what words came out of my mouth were beyond me. Whatever I had said though, made Mr. Tiny get up and sit next to me, placing his hands on my stomach. He coaxed the dragon closer and I stiffened when his hands brushed the dragons' leg. The drugs were not enough to keep a small twinge of alarm away and I shifted nervously. Before I had anymore time to worry the dragons' leg was healed and Mr. Tiny was rubbing the top of its head, sending the feeling across the back of my own. I shuddered and then went limp, chest rumbling with the dragons happy purring.

"Sleep," Mr. Tiny whispered in my ear.

But I noticed something in the middle of the room and stubbornly wriggled free of Mr. Tiny, and got out of bed, staggering over to the newest fascinating object. It was even softer then the pillows or blankets and I shuffled around on it, grinning foolishly. Mr. Tiny, pulled on my arm, trying to get me back into the bed. He wanted me to rest, I knew that by the shapes his mouth was making. However, there was something much more pressing to attend to.

I ignored Mr. Tiny and dove face first into the glorious rug.

The moment I woke up I knew something was wrong. Not life threatening wrong, but the kind that sends you into a panic before you figure out its nothing that bad. The reminder of Vancha's death crashed over me again and I buried my head under the pillow, whining loudly. It was then I figured out exactly what the problem was and I scrambled out of bed, falling head over heels to get to the bathroom mirror. I climbed up onto the toilet and then the counter and stared. A wolf cub looked back, no bigger then Imoo. His fur was all black except for four white paws and one white ear. I raised my paw and the wolf raised his. I blinked and the wolf blinked back. Yelping, I fell backwards off the counter, no longer able to deny the obvious. I raced out of the bedroom and then flattened myself to the ground, inching along beside the baseboards. The world was huge. People walked by and their feet thumped inches from my tiny paws, causing me to skitter back and forth.

One woman tried to pick me up, cooing but I growled and dashed away; trying to find someone I knew. I saw Debbie briefly, but I couldn't get through the maze of legs before she vanished down the steps. When I rounded a corner I saw Truska enter a small room that nobody was using and I followed her, peering around the corner. Vancha's body lay on the bed, face peaceful. The blood had been cleaned off him and he looked like he could have been sleeping; if not for the gash across his chest. Truska sat on a chair beside the bed and wept. I bowed my head and quietly climbed onto the chair on the opposite side of the bed. Wolves didn't cry, so the grief built up in my chest until I bent my head back and howled. The sound was pathetic and only fueled Truska's tears. I leapt onto the bed and laid my head on Vancha's chest, not avoiding the long ragged tear in his skin. I wanted Vancha to return, not only for my sake but for Truska. I had seen the pair late at night, whispering and laughing. And a few weeks ago, on the full moon a ring had been shining in Truska's palm. Now I could see it in Truska's hand, her fingers rubbing the grooved surface tenderly.

I put a paw on Vancha's wound and imagined the sword slicing through his skin. I regretted killing Vancha immensely, but I would do it again if I was sent back to that moment. Freeing him was the kindest thing to do.

Mr. Tiny burst into the room and I leapt off the side of the bed; wriggling underneath the mattress. But a hand closed firmly around my scruff and I was pulled, squirming and yelping back into the light. Mr. Tiny marched out of the room, holding me up in the air like a doll and I hung limp; ears drooping sadly. Only when we were in Mr. Tiny's room did he set me down on his bed and stare. In the next second he laughed so hard tears streamed out of his eyes. I slowly backed up, and then hung my head.

"I'm sorry Darren, but you have no idea how adorable you look."

I growled irritably, which came out more like a squeak.

Mr. Tiny grinned and smothered his laughter, trying (and failing) to adopt a serious expression. "Evanna often turned into various creatures, but they were generally more scary then that."

I narrowed my eyes and snarled, pleased when it came out a bit more strongly then the first time. I was angry, so angry and grief-stricken my tiny body was vibrating. But it was so small I could do hardly any damage. It was easy for Mr. Tiny to laugh! He wasn't stuck high off the ground on a bed, stuck in the body of a tiny cub. Of course when Mr. Tiny reached out I leapt at him, completely disregarding the problem of my tiny teeth. I smacked into Mr. Tiny's chest and bounced off, landing on the ground. I was stunned for a moment then wagged my tail and took off victoriously for the exit. Mr. Tiny gave chase and I half fell, half skidded down the stairs, taking them five at a time. I leapt out the front door, which was graciously held open by a startled Harkat and made a beeline for freedom. My body vanished into the long grass in the front lawn; nobody had bothered to mow and I curled up, whining for the Prince. Never again would he laugh at the stupidest things or crack ridiculous jokes. His fighting skills, almost entirely unique, lost forever. How had Mr. Tiny laughed?

It was some time later when I turned back into a human and sat in the grass, my head barely above the gently waving stalks. The niggling feeling that something even bigger then The Lord of The Shadows threat was happening was back and I ran events of the past months over and over in my mind. My "resurrection," had not been committed by either Mr. Tiny or Evanna. I had been brought back to filful a purpose in Mr. Tiny's life that was clear. Everything that happened pulled me closer to him. But what would happen after I had completed the task?

I smelled Mr. Tiny before he reached me and before he got into eye sight I stood up and faced him, wiping away any traces of tears. "I need you to tell me what you know," I said, keeping any emotion out of my voice.

"Why?" Mr. Tiny asked. It was clear he had been expecting a much angrier version of myself.

"Tell me everything you know about your punishment," I said.

Mr. Tiny paled and took a half step backwards. "I do not wish to relive that."

I leaned forward, stalking him. "I was brought back for a reason. Whoever did it had some motive and I need to know who it was. I think you know exactly who did it and have known for a long time. Whatever the end game is for these people, did you ever think that maybe…maybe I won't be needed afterward?"

* * *

**R&amp;R please? **

**I have decided that there will be a sequel :)**


	22. Chapter 21-Approaching Storm

The moon hung low in the sky, illuminating Debbie and I as we patrolled the wards, too used to the shadows throwing themselves at the red lights to flinch. Skirmishes with the monsters had become a daily occurrence, in and around the town and surrounding forests. Days were taken up with sparring, going over maps and stuffing less then satisfying meals down our throats. At night I trained more, trying to rein my nearly inexhaustible and untamable magic. I hardly saw Mr. Tiny now, and Evanna took over the training. The only time Mr. Tiny and I exchanged more then one or two words was when he steadied my magic every few days. I wondered if I had done something wrong, but supposed it was a consequence of the conversation we'd had. I barely flinched when people came up behind me, and the urge to bite at the sight of the rods Evanna frequently brought to training was lessening.

Other problems were taking their places however. My dragon was not staying on my skin. During the night it would leave and wreck havoc on the camp, splitting tires and ruin days worth of food. Claw marks decorated the trees and several trailers, appearing in new places almost every morning. Sometimes the dragon would come back, bleeding and tired and I would take its pain when it slid back into place. Evanna had no ideas how to keep the dragon with me, and I refused to bother Mr. Tiny with it. He was studiously ignoring me and I was tired of trying to reach him. I knew the truth about his punishment now. Even when I had asked him the chances of being safe if I won, he barely acknowledged my fear after telling me I was probably screwed. Steve made his rounds now and often our eyes meet across the wards. Sometimes Steve would give a little shake of his head and start toward me, but always turned back after a few steps; I longed to go to him, but now was not the time to test the magic's bond on his soul. The notes Steve left on trees were communication enough and proof he was still somewhat human. Even Imoo was becoming more and more distant. Hours would go by and his mind would remain locked from me, ignoring the faint touches I tried to seek from him, the ones I had come to be used too.

"Are you alright?" Debbie asked and steered me by the elbow away from the tree I had been about to walk face first into.

"No,' I said more harshly then I'd intended and winced. "Nothing more then usual," I lied. A bear shadow snapped at us, only feet from where we stood on the safe side of the wards, but I growled back, exposing one canine and it fled. The other side effects from training were dangerous in themselves, even as I grew stronger. I was becoming more predatory and unpredictable. Instead of blowing stuff up and causing lakes to vanish, I now turned partially into creatures and tended to bite first and ask questions later. My eyes were always yellow, but lately they looked more like my dragons eyes. Scales were always present on my knuckles and fangs usually poked out from behind my upper lip.

"Mr. Tiny is still not talking to you? Debbie asked.

I snarled. "I don't know how he expects me to forgive him when he is doing everything to drive me away now! Even Imoo is not talking to me!" Every bit of the old hatred, resentment and wariness toward Mr. Tiny was coming back tenfold and I was in no mood to stop it. The Cirque Du Freak knew the confrontation between the Shadow Lord and us was fast approaching, but so far I saw no hope for a win. "He won't even speak to me about these "gods" who apparently will rip me from limb to limb if we do beat the Shadow Lord!"

Debbie pursed her lips and looked me up and down. "How long as it been since you've been close to him?" It was her subtle way of asking if I was about to loose control.

"A week and a half." I grumbled.

"Confront him. Give Mr. Tiny no way out and make him speak to you," Debbie suggested.

I rolled my eyes. "How do I pin down a man who has power rivaling the gods?"  
We walked in silence for a long while, until Debbie raised a hand and smirked. "What has been the main thing that always makes him show up?"

"I don't know?" I said.

"When you get hurt or run into impossible situations idiot,' Debbie grinned.

I thought this over and then smiled. "How do I fake that? He isn't exactly stupid." I pulled out a knife and made a mock stabbing motion in my arm. "Good enough?"

"Darren…" the voice did not belong to Debbie and I whirled around, slamming my body into the wards when I saw who it was.

Steve leaned against the red light, his face a mass of purpling bruises and scarred flesh. His right eye was swollen shut and one hand was bent back at an awkward angle. Our eyes met and then he crumpled to the ground; the sound much quieter then it should have been. I rushed through the wards and pulled Steve close, examining the wounds with soft hands. Debbie crouched next to me, weapons drawn. Her face was drawn into a mask of worry.

"It might be a trap," she warned.

"Not a trap!" Steve said forcefully. His hand found my face and I turned to him, wiping the blood away from his ruined eye. "He…is coming…for you…" his eyes shut and then opened. "No prisoners." A wry smile twisted his face and he weakly pulled back the collar of his shirt. No necklace hung on his chest, but a gash eerily similar to Vancha's lay across his skin. "I have always been…on the wrong…side…brother…" he said darkly.

"Not this time," I promised. "Let me take you back."

Steve shook his head. His face twisted into a grimace of pain and then smoothed over.

Debbie held out her wrist, and it was then I noticed a small cut on her thumb. "Drink," she said reluctantly. "You have information and I won't let you die."

Steve offered Debbie a faint grin, more contemptuous then thankful and took several swallows before pulling away. "He was angry when I questioned his orders. All of you will die, torn into by shadows or taken for his amusement," this time his voice was much stronger. "He was angry with me for questioning his orders. But I have to go back."

"Why?" I asked, trying to conceal a twinge of hurt.

"I never belonged with the light," Steve said quietly. "I can offer more by the Shadow Lords side then by yours." He grinned toothily and struggled to his feet, putting one hand on a tree. Half his face was in shadow and he looked more dangerous then anything I had faced so far. "We will kill their fighters and children. Blood will run in rivers and the world will burn." He smirked. "The famous words of the Shadow Lord."

I leaned forward. "Famous last words you mean."

Steve shrugged. "I'm only the messenger. But heed him, because your time is shorter then you think." His face contorted again. "He calls. There is no need for a necklace now." Steve looked me square in the eyes and gave one last twisted grin. "But that gives him less power. He did not tell me to find you or what to do if I stumbled upon one of the Cirque members. So for know I can leave peacefully." He bowed mockingly and walked away, putting as much strut into his uneven stride as possible. Right before he vanished he turned back and frowned. "Does father know I live?"

I hesitated. "No. Not that I know of."

Steve turned away and I could see the harsh lines of his shoulders shudder a little; then they straightened and he left. Even without the ability to see into the future I knew I would only see him on the battlefield. I straightened and turned back towards the wards, but not before a shadow lunged out of the bushes. I scowled and turned on it with a savage growl, closing one clawed hand around its throat and slamming it to the ground with bone shattering force. I ripped out its throat and the monster dissolved into the ground, leaving behind a black smudge. More beasts swirled out of the darkness and I spun in a circle, gutting and slashing with every blow. I did not care, or heed Debbie's warning to run. I became no more then the creatures I fought; a mindless, hate filled beast. Blood stained my hands.

I crunched a shadow against a tree, ripping its legs off and tossing aside the ruined beast without finishing it.

"Darren!"

I turned dragon eyes upon the intruder and cocked my head, growling irritably. The world shone with new colors; reds, grays and blues stuck out in stark contrast to now faded yellows, greens and browns. The momentary distraction was all a shadow needed to attack me. It bowled me over into the dirt, but its slashing claws had no chance to make contact before my mouth was at its neck. I looked up at the stranger with black blood streaming down my chin, coating my shirt with black liquid.

Mr. Tiny looked pissed. His hands were glowing and his eyes were narrowed angrily. "Stop," he ordered. Like his word was the only law.

I straightened, snapping out of the rage into a more controlled version of it and stalked over to my father. "As you wish," I said and did a good imitation of Steve's bow; spitting blood on the ground before I left.

All in all it was a horrible day.

I spent the entire night pacing back and forth in my room, tracking mud and blood all over the place before I calmed enough to clean up. Nobody bothered me before bed and I was glad.

When dawn came I had gotten no rest. Half the morning went by with me sitting cross legged on the bed, trying to keep my magic under control. I knew, as did Mr. Tiny that if we succeeded in killing the Shadow Lord, the gods would be furious. Their revenge would be swift, fatal and unavoidable. So either way the outcome sucked. I didn't think Mr. Tiny would die, but a half vampire with wild magic stood little chance against the gods. I growled and stretched, vowing to wriggle my way out from under the gods influence. They had given me life and I would use it to the best of my abilities, damn the consequences. If the gods tried to punish the Cirque for their involvement I would bring hell on their heads.

"Darren may I come in?" Debbie asked from the other side of the door. She sounded faintly nervous and I could smell her fear. Nobody could lie to me and if I wished, I could manipulate people to do my bidding, just because I know how humans react to my words.

"Yes," I said ungenerously.

Debbie swung the door open, mindful of my sensitive ears and gently closed it behind her. She looked tired and with a pang of remorse I remembered her room was close by and she would have heard me pacing. "Are you ready to talk to me?" She asked.

I hovered for a moment and then sighed and nodded. "No, but I suppose I never will be." Before I lost my nerve I spilled everything. The way my magic had shifted toward animalistic tendencies, what Mr. Tiny had said about his punishment. How the gods would not let either of us go if we did win. I kept going, unleashing every bit of frustration I had until I sank onto the floor, digging my thankfully clawless hands into the rug. The dragon purred and I clenched my fist in the air to keep it from sliding off my skin and into the world. When my rant was over I let out another huge sigh and realized I felt much, much better. The magic was no longer burning under my skin and the dragon was calm.

Debbie sat across from me and studied my face. Music drifted up from the yard outside the window and I listened to the jaunty notes while she gathered her thoughts. "I think you are caught up in the fact that you could hurt someone," she said. "That won't happen."

"Why are you so sure?" I asked. "I killed Vancha."

"Yes, but he had been hurting you for weeks. I think even in the midst of the change you can still tell friend from foe at a deeper level." Debbie smiled and then continued on. "Ok, you might be more prone to attacking us if we offend you in that state, but all out murder sprees wouldn't happen. Even now you can smell our emotions. That must be so much stronger when you change."

"I wouldn't know," I muttered. "I can't remember anything when I change completely." Most of the time when I slept I slipped into another form and ran rampant through the woods until I made my way back. The only reason I knew I did this was when I woke up with dirt and sticks in my bed. But the other part I had no answer for was the other creature that roamed with me. It left very little signs of its existence besides a claw mark much too big for me or a kill in the woods. It never left scent marks either.

"Someday you will remember," Debbie said firmly. "I bet it's amazing. That is your form when you use higher magic, like Mr. Tiny with his glowing hands."

"Yes…" I breathed. "Someday…" I stood up and opened the window, allowing the music to fill the room. It was a fast Irish jig that made my fingers twitch. I let a little magic through and my eyes widened. I could _see _the notes spinning and dancing through the air like tiny stars, leaving trails of colored light. Evanna was playing the song and Evra beat on a set of drums. The two instruments had the same colors, but the flute had a lighter tone while the colors emitting from the drum were dark greens and blues. I stepped out onto the windowsill and stuck my hand out into open space, letting the colors brush over my fingers. They tingled pleasantly and some stuck to my hands until I shook them free. Without thinking I jumped out into the air, letting nothingness support my feet.

Debbie gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth.

I bowed and spun in a circle, sending colors flying into a crescendo of sound and light. When the music paused down below I hovered before the window; stretching out a hand to Debbie. She giggled and stepped up onto the windowsill, holding onto the wall tightly.

"Let me show you magic," I said softly. "Let me show you what I see."

Debbie sucked in a breath and then stepped off the ledge.

I caught her in my arms and set her down on air. "As long as you are touching me you won't fall," I assured her. I reached out with my mind and brushed against hers, seeking permission. For a moment she resisted and then as the music started up again, even faster then before she let me in. Our minds melded together and we spun in a circle. I could feel everything she felt and she me. Her glee and awe at the colored notes melted into my feeling of freedom. Our dance spun across the sky and down below the Cirque started to dance. We hovered above them unseen, private and completely at ease.

Debbie's head fell onto my shoulder and our minds separated. The first drops of rain fell onto her nose and slid down her chin, dripping onto the collar of my shirt. "A storm is coming," she whispered in my ear; her breath warming my cheek.

"I can't wait," I whispered back with a throaty growl.

"We won't all survive." The pain was back in Debbie's eyes. All the peace from the past few minutes was gone. The notes flickered and vanished as I shut down the magic.

"I know," I hissed. "But that is the consequence of war." I didn't tell her that the chances of my being one of the survivors was slim.

Debbie pulled back and I carried her to the open window and set her gently down. "We don't have enough people to take on the shadows. Even with Mr. Tiny and Evanna." Her eyes turned flinty. "We can go out there and fight, and inevitably die but it will all be for nothing if you can't kill the Lord. You have changed Darren and I'm not sure in it's a good way." She shoved me in the chest. "In the past you weren't a fighter. Now you are prepared to loose even more friends to a bloody war that should never have happened!"

I growled and leaned forward, pushing Debbie back against the wall. "Either way this would have happened!" I shouted. "The other option would have me on the wrong side! The reason the Shadow Lord looks like me, is because he is me! The person I would have become if I hadn't died. Steve and I were locked in a destiny that should have ended when I killed myself. Mr. Tiny set things up for one of us to become that monster outside the wards."

Debbie shoved my hand away and crossed her arms. "I know that. And you are going to go and fake a deathly injury or run away so that idiot will talk to you. He has changed and I know that you know. It's plainly obvious. The Mr. Tiny from before and now are two completely different people."

I scowled. "He won't fall for a faked injury."

"Then run away. Don't tell me where you are going so he can't get the answer from me. Make an actual effort to evade him for a little while even if it's less then a day."

"Probably less then an hour," I yawned. "I can barely sit up straight."

Debbie grinned. "Good luck." She tossed me a fifty dollar bill.

"He is going to be furious," I warned.

"I don't care. He is acting like a three year old. In fact don't make it easy on him. Lead Mr. Tiny on a chase he will remember!" Debbie said heatedly. "Use some of those magic skills."

I winced and shook my head. "I can't do much of anything at the moment without loosing control."

"Do whatever you have to do," Debbie said and then grinned devilishly.

"What?" I asked nervously.

"Scrounge up every bit of teenage wrath a teenager can feel at their father and unleash it upon him."

"Deal," I promised with no remorse.


	23. Chapter 22- Finale Part I

Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak *sob*

**A.N. The story is coming to an end. (Not yet in a few more chapters!) I have planned out some of the sequel. Only one problem...I can't decide on a name :P. **

**Here is a few I thought of and if you want to vote for one go ahead, or suggest a title of your own!**

**The Tiny Series #2: An Idiot With wings and a Dragon **

**The Tiny Series #2: Woes of the Father**

**The Tiny Series #2: Destiny's Child**

**The Tiny Series #2: A Boy Called Shadow**

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I used my anger to fuel me the rest of the afternoon until I was ready to carry out the plan. My dragon itched on my back, keening to be let out but I clenched my fists and refused to give in. Mr. Tiny continued his avoidance of me, and by five a clock I decided that the plan would go into motion. Debbie left while I packed; I preferred this as she would not be missed in the time it took me to leave. I only took the bare minimum seeing as I would be returning soon, and tried to make it look like I had done this on impulse. I shut off from Imoo purposely, (not that it made much of a difference as he was still apart from me) and threw a bottle of water a few snacks and a phone into the backpack. I strapped my old sword on but left the dragon sword lying on my bed. Mr. Tiny's jacket I fingered slowly. He had bought a new one and given me his right before the conversation gone wrong and I always wore it. But if I was going to convey the depth of my fury I had to leave it. I slowly pulled it off and folded it neatly, setting it next to the sword hilt. Then I walked out of my room, shut the door with a soft click and passed Harkat and Evra on the steps. They waved and I nodded to them.

Mr. Tiny and Evanna were standing by the edge of the wards, going over a list in their hands. I saw it was a grocery list and I mentally smiled. _Perfect. _Without ever looking at Mr. Tiny I pointed at the list in Evannas hands. "I can take care of this," I said. "Debbie asked me for some stuff already."

Evanna nodded and folded the paper. "Just be careful," she warned and handed me the list. I tucked it in a pocket and stepped through the wards, sidestepping Mr. Tiny with a slight growl under my breath that I hoped he heard loud and clear. Right before I headed into the wards I looked back and locked eyes with Debbie who was standing on the porch. She nodded and I nodded back. I straightened my shoulders, dug the list out of my pocket and pretended to look at it. The next part of the plan had to go perfectly. It was risky, dangerous and I had no idea if I could even do it.

I raised the list into the air, letting it catch on the breeze and Debbie sprang into motion, her long legs carrying her toward the wards. "Darren!" she screamed.

Evanna and Mr. Tiny whipped around and I let the list go, watching it whip into the wind and out of sight. "I have to go," I said to Debbie. I drew on every bit of unstable magic I dared and pulled on the memories of when Evanna had attacked me. I held onto it for as long as I dared until I shook with it. The power snapped and a white light flashed through the wards. Mr. Tiny took a step forward, but I was already gone.

I stumbled and rolled down a hill, carrying the backpack and the random grocery list with me. I wondered how it had even come with me for a half a second before I was up and running as fast as I could, grinding the sheet of paper into the dirt. It had only taken a short time for Mr. Tiny to find me last time and I had to put distance between us. By now he was probably hopping from foot to foot in rage. I blurred through the woods I had appeared in, stopping at the edge of a neighborhood in a cloud of dust. A quick look in a pond revealed I had fangs and dragon eyes but no scales. I snatched a bandana off a fence and wrapped it around my mouth, then pulled my sunglasses out of a pocket. Now that I knew Mr. Tiny could disguise himself figuring out where to hide while I let the man search for me would be harder. I hated going to such lengths to get his attention, but while he was acting like a moron I had no other choice.

At least this time I wasn't on the point of collapse. But storm clouds were building in the distance and I glared at them sullenly while traipsing up the sidewalk. Either I had created them from magical travel or they were completely natural. I hoped the latter, because if I'd made them that was bad. Very, very bad.

I traipsed up the sidewalk, turning my back to the storm and made for the skyscrapers in the distance. A big city meant crowds of people to blend in with and less chance of a shadow attack. The lightning in big cities was even more of a priority and the army occupied nearly every relevant city in the country now. They still had no idea about our involvement in the war, but I knew that would change if we ever confronted the shadows in a populated area. I imagined their faces upon seeing our motley crew of freaks and grinned. They wouldn't be able to envision us being able to fight.

I picked up speed, running down the road much faster then a normal human. The neighborhoods were a dark sight. Boards covered the windows and spotlights hung from every roof. Streetlights were shattered and new ones had been erected in the debris. Only one brave woman was out using a push mower. Nearly every car I saw in a driveway had been outfitted with some kind of home made armor. Here and there a house was collapsing in on its self. There was no sign of the army here and it made me angry. They were obviously leaving the smaller cities and suburbs to fend for themselves. The dragon stirred on my skin and I felt it crawl down my sleeve to wrap itself around my arm. I watched the lone woman for awhile, absorbing her emotions. She was grief-stricken and furious. But not broken. When she turned off the mower she looked at me and I saw a knife strapped to her belt. Fresh blood dotted her blouse and a scratch ran down her cheek. I crossed the street with my palms up; as the woman had grabbed the knife when I started walking towards her.

"What happened?" I asked when I was in speaking distance.

The woman chuckled bitterly. "Are you with the army?" Her face contorted. "None of you lot give a damn about us. Protect the cities and the precious resources! We will stand back while neighborhoods are ripped apart! Children are carried off into the night, and then appear strewn across the streets in the morning. Our lights flicker and die quicker every night." She looked up at the sky, towards the sun which was steadily making its way downward.

"I'm not with the army," I said decisively. The dragon flicked its tail and I shifted positions to hide the movement. The only towns to know about us were the small ones beneath the armies notice. It seemed our presence hadn't spread in the slightest. We hadn't used powers in those towns either and I guessed we were just another roaming group too most.

"They're loosing," the woman said simply and started pushing her mower toward the garage. "The army can't handle the darkness. Sooner or later our reality is going to be in the cities too. Those things can't be killed." She looked me up and down, taking in the bandana and sunglasses. "Whoever you are, I don't think you quite understand the pain."

"I do," I said. "You aren't alone. There is more then the army out there."

"Then where are they!" The woman cried. "WHERE WERE THEY WHEN MY SON WAS DRAGGED FROM HIS BED?" She threw down a gas can and shoved me in the chest. "EFFING COWARDS THE LOT OF THEM!"

I grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "The army would turn against them." It was a horrible, but absolutely true fact. To the army another renegade group of unnatural beings would be a prime target. "They want to help. You have no idea how much so." Meeting after meeting discussed us going into that city or another, but it was always shot down after a few minutes."

The woman, who from a pile of mail I guessed was called Abby wrenched her hand away and starred at me with cold eyes. "Why would the army do that?"

"Because…," I hesitated. "Most of us aren't human." I watched the words sink in.

"Really," Abby snorted. "You expect me to believe that?"

I slowly pulled my arm out from behind my back and pulled down the bandana and took off my sunglasses. My fangs curled out below my chin and I stretched my lips away from them, blinking several times in the bright light. When Abby did nothing but stare I hurried onward. "We have magicians, vampires, wolf-men, snake-boys and everything in between. We are stronger, faster, and have killed shadows."

"I don't know who you are or why you are playing this sick joke," Abby began. "But get out!" Her eyes filled with tears.

I held out my arm with the dragon it, who was keeping perfectly still. The moment Abby laid eyes on it he moved, stretching out his tail with a loud purr that echoed in the tiny garage. His eyes rested on Abby and his tongue flicked in and out playfully. "Go on," I said. "Touch him. I don't let many people do that."

Abby flinched, but her hand snuck out, tapped the dragon on his head and then whipped backwards. She turned her hand over, as if expecting it to fall off and then touched the dragon again, running a finger down his back. "No way," she muttered. "I can't see the army being too pleased about this." Leftover tears dotted her cheeks, but she suddenly seemed to be filled with more life. The sudden reversal of her doubt was startling. "How many of you are there?"

"Exact numbers are dangerous," I murmured. "But enough. Since our power level is higher then humans we don't need many to wreck havoc. In fact two members of our group can take on almost an entire army alone."

"What about you?" Abby asked.

"Close enough," I grinned.

Abby straightened and her eyes flashed. "I want you to help us tonight." Her voice held authority and I self consciously straightened too. "Prove that you aren't all talk."

"I will make people afraid."

"You aren't that frightening," Abby said.

"That's because you've seen nothing." I gestured to myself. "This, this is the lowest point of transformation. When I change I become something else. I act different, talk different and fight like a monster. I use magic that can and will kill. You could look at me on the battlefield and I won't know you." I curled my tongue over my fangs. "Take me somewhere and I will destroy the shadows, but you may not like how I do it. Our group is out of the armies control and it will stay that way."

Abby paled and shifted from foot to foot uneasily. "We can't last like this any longer. Even if you are as dangerous and unpredictable as you say you are we still need you."

I hesitated. "I'll try to come back before dusk. I can't promise anything, but I will do my best. No matter what work on your defenses. A flashlight pointed directly at a shadow is just as effective as a gun, even if it doesn't kill them. To get inside they need a gap. Close your fireplace, check for open windows and seal basements and drains. Try not to show fear if you do come face to face with one. That makes them pause, which can save your life."

Abby nodded and slowly color came back into her cheeks. "Thank you."

I smiled grimly. "If I come back I will bring reinforcements. Tell the others not to shoot upon sight, if you see some odd…people." Without another word I turned and bolted down the road, weaving through front lawns and leaping over fences. Magic churned inside me and I could feel it changing; merging even further with my vampire and human cells. My body wasn't finished changing yet, and I yearned to see what the final result would be. Every hour my eyes flickered less and less, verging on being dragon completely. It wasn't even loosing control entirely; I was accepting the magic and it was changing me on a base level. I just hoped it was done before The Shadow Lord and I came face to face.

The city was quiet, but not as still as the neighborhood. Trash bounced along the street and armed men and trucks sat at nearly every corner. Their faces were hard and I steered well clear of them. On the tallest buildings huge satellite dishes were mounted, swiveling back and forth. I stayed underneath them and hoped whatever the army was scanning for didn't include magic. The people I saw gave me an odd, wary look and whispered to each other as I passed. Three more hours until sundown and I had to evade Mr. Tiny, the army, and stray shadows until then. Even though the city was well lit, dark places still hovered; sewers, back alleyways and underneath cars. Several times I felt like movement was just out of eye sight, following me surely and steadily down the street. I hoped it was Mr. Tiny and not a particularly suicidal shadow coming out in daylight.

"Hey!"

I turned and froze. A well dressed army official was waving from his tank. He looked annoyed and I decided to obey the law for once and go over.

"What?" I asked politely. I hated pompous gits like these who walked on everyone to get what they wanted.

"Show me your papers?" The official ordered.

"Um…" My train of thought was derailed by a pair of red eyes sliding into view from under the tank. Recovering quickly I swallowed and continued. "I am a new recruit. Just came in from the country. I don't have any papers." I shifted slightly, hand at the sword on my waist. "Did you ever think of lighting up underneath cars?"

The official rolled his eyes. "You? A recruit? Hah. Nobody fights with a sword!" He completely ignored my question and made to get off the tank.

"No!" I yelled. "Don't move a muscle!" I unsheathed my sword and spread my feet in a fighting sword.

The official whipped out a gun and pointed it at my head. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" His feet stuck out over the edge of the tank and as I watched the shadow snuck out a paw and slowly lifted it up.

I moved and the gun went off. The bullet slipped past my left arm and I was at the tank, smashing into the shadow and pulling it completely into the sun. It squealed and I rolled over and over with it, snarling and slashing. My sword hooked into its throat and I ripped the skin away, ducking backwards before black blood splashed over me. The shadow growled weakly and collapsed on its side, dissolving into the street. My bandana was clutched in its claws and I clapped a hand over my mouth, rushing to pull the cloth free. Cold metal touched my temple the moment I bent down.

"I saved your damn life," I hissed. "A little thanks would suffice."

"Papers. Or I will-" The official choked and I heard a wet ripping sound. The gun fell from my temple and I whipped around. Another shadow, much bigger then the first stood behind the crumpled form of the official. It looked almost humanoid, standing on its hind legs. In one paw it held the officials heart. The shadow let out a throaty chuckle and crushed the heart. From either side I heard two more tanks start their engines and begin a slow march toward us. I took off my sunglasses and bared my fangs, tossing the sword aside. My fingernails lengthened into claws that Evanna would have been proud of. For a moment the shadow stood there, blood dripping from its paw and then it hissed and pounced. I dove sideways and ran on all fours up the street, heading for a skyscraper the next block over. I hit the glass window running and leapt up it, using the barest amount of magic to stick to the slick surface.

The shadow ran up after me and inside the skyscraper people crowded the window from their offices. I released my hold on the glass and fell down, colliding with the shadow as I fell. We bounced down the side and I latched on again, my claws screeching against the glass right next to a startled woman's face. Our eyes met and I could see myself in the glass; dragon eyes, scales sliding up my face and fangs dripping with blood. I was a sight to be feared and yet the woman pointed, mouthing something through the glass without a tremor. I barely moved in time to avoid the shadow that had clambered back up. The side of its face was smashed in and one red eye had lost its light, but it looked bigger and angrier. We hung me upside down and eyeballed each other. The shadow, standing in the darkness cast by another building chuckled again and let out three loud barking yelps that echoed across the city.

"Mine," the shadow hissed and pointed at me. "Master…will…be pleased."

"He is here?" I asked curiously.

"Everywhere," the shadow said and it vibrated with amusement.  
"Mr. Tiny is here too," I said.

The shadow tilted its head and shook even harder. "You stand no chance dragonling." Its voice was stronger now and I tensed.

"I almost killed your Master once and I will finish the job," I growled. The dragon sang on my skin, driving me crazy with its need to come out.

"Two must become one and that will never happen," the shadow purred.

I swiveled on the glass and climbed upward, smashing windows to send glass raining down on the beast as it lazily pursued me. _'Hold on_' I told the dragon. _'Just wait.' _

_**'Where the hell are you?' **_

Imoo's voice almost made me fall off the side of the building and the shadow nipped my heels before I kept climbing. **'Do you really want to know or is Mr. Tiny asking?' **I asked viciously.

_**'I want to know. You have been ignoring me for days!' **_ The hurt was evident in Imoo's voice.

**'You were ignoring me!' **I exclaimed, and then paused. My mouth fell open and I concentrated hard on the memory of Imoo's voice, rolling it over and over. He sounded different, almost like…**'Do you know who you used to be yet?" **I asked carefully. I yelped when the shadow lunged, but it missed and fell several stories down.

_**'No.'**_

I didn't get a chance to continue because I cleared the top of the skyscraper and the dragon sprang free. It was the first time I had actually been awake to see it happen. The dragon melted off my skin and into the air. It was just like how it looked on my skin, except much, much bigger. Nowhere near the size of Mr. Tiny's dragon but still about as tall as a two story house and twice that long. Its tail made up at least half its body length and the huge feathered wings glistened in the sun. It pranced from side to side, gouging its claws into the skyscraper's ceiling. Small spikes ran down its neck and I saw no scales anywhere on its body. It snuffled into my hair, nibbling gently on the tips and then tilted back its head and roared. The sound was loud and I knew if I hadn't been bonded to the dragon my ear drums would have burst. But the sound was musical and I smiled.

"Do you want to fly?" I whispered and ran my hands along the dragons feathered shoulder. I felt the answer deep inside my head and grinned wider, vaulting onto the dragons back. The shadow crested the side of the skyscraper and froze when it saw the dragon. I laughed and held on tightly as the dragon spread its huge wings, lifted them up and brought them down twice. We shot into the sky and my breath was snatched away. The dragon dove and we flashed past the skyscrapers windows, snatching the shadow up in our claws and killing it instantly. Below we could see what the shadow had called in. Tanks lined the street in both directions, foolishly casting shadows in all directions. The monsters were taking advantage of this and now they were plucking men off tanks and tearing them to bits. I dove, spreading my wings to come in easily and reached out with all four feet, snatching up a shadow in each paw, carrying them up to cloud level before dropping them. They spiraled down and hit the ground with a splat, soaking into the concrete.

Again and again I dove, each time coming up with two or three kills. Only when the tanks had cleared the middle of the road did I land, crushing streetlights and signs beneath my paws. My tail snaked around the edge of a building and I puffed up my chest, curling my lips back before I roared. An explosion of water came from my mouth; anything it touched instantly iced over. Shadows were swept away and turned into ice blocks. Army men dove aside after pointing their guns at me, but I ignored their pea shooters. When the flow of water stopped I slunk down the street, stepping carefully over injured men and women. Each frozen shadow was crushed into bits. I paused at a man trapped beneath an overturned truck. He pointed his weapon at me and pulled the trigger but it clicked empty. I huffed at him softly and lowered my head, nudging the car slightly.  
Behind me tanks swerved back into position, weapons pointing directly at me. I ignored them and bent over the car, grabbing the front of it in my jaws. Bracing against the side of a building I lifted the car up just enough for the man to crawl away. But he didn't move. His eyes were closed. I growled impatiently and lifted the car up the rest of the way when none of his friends came to help him. Idiots. I lightly grasped the man in my front teeth, careful to stay away from his broken legs.

"Drop that man!" Someone shouted. Guns cocked and I lashed my tail, hitting it against the side of several tanks. I carefully dragged the man across the street, steering him clear of the debris. When I turned I knocked into the side of a building. Only when I was face to face with the closest tank did I lift the man completely in the air and hold him out to the closest person, who looked like a sergeant.

"Take him," I rasped around my burden. "He bleeds."

The sergeant yelled and two panicky looking men grabbed a stretcher and carried it over. I set the injured man in it and watched him be carried away.

"Are there more of you?" The sergeant asked in a remarkably stable voice.

"Yes," I said.

"That boy on your back? Did you kidnap him?"

I turned and looked back at myself. "No."  
The sergeant raised his fist and the tanks made an awful grinding noise. "We can't allow more beasts to roam the streets."

Just in time I spread my wings and took to the skies. But I had gotten no more then twenty feet off the ground when something around my back legs tightened and yanked me to a halt. Thick strands of wire had been wrapped around my feet and they pulled me down. The other ends were attached to the tanks. I roared and strained to pull free. The wires cut into my skin, slicing away feathers and drawing blood. My tail whipped around and I snapped at the sergeant, my jaws slamming closed inches from his face. He leapt backward and toppled off the tank. I powered into the air, ignoring the sickening pain and the wires snapped. I burst free, plowing through tanks while I struggled to gain enough air. Finally I caught a breeze and lifted off completely, scattering drops of blood. I flapped hard, and then dropped suddenly when another dragon roar drifted through the city. I crashed into the street and growled, roaring back a challenge. The same skyscraper I'd climbed on before met the brunt of my anger as I crawled up it, the gaps between buildings too small for a proper take off. I crunched up the skyscraper and crawled on top, nostrils flaring and caught sight of the other dragon.

It was Mr. Tiny. He was flying slowly over the city and the moment he caught sight of me he folded his wings and headed straight for me in a steep dive. I let out a dragon whine and jumped off the skyscraper, trying fruitlessly to catch a breeze. Blood scattered everywhere and I barely had any warning before huge claws wrapped around my middle and carried me off. I roared and thrashed, my tail spikes whipping close to Mr. Tiny's stomach but he shook me hard. I quieted immediately when the tip of his claw nicked my shoulder. My other self was dangling way too close to Mr. Tiny's claws and I had no wish to gut myself.

Mr. Tiny only stopped when we were miles away from the city. He dropped me by a lake and I fell in a heap on the shoreline. His body glowed so bright I had to look away and when the light died he was back in his human form, hands glowing dark red. "How many times will you do this?" He asked enraged.

"Until you listen!" I growled. "You've been ignoring me for weeks! You wouldn't even quiet my magic!"

Mr. Tiny clenched his hand and a bolt of pain shot up my shoulder. "So you run off! That is quite an answer to every problem isn't it?"

I limped backwards, ducking my head. A thin trail of blood ran down my leg, darkening the bright blue feathers. My tail touched the water and I blinked. "Go away," I snarled. "Don't need you!" I lashed my tail, sending waves across the lake. "Shadow was right. Never going to win."

Mr. Tiny wiped a hand across his face and sighed. "I thought our earlier conversation would have put you off." He scanned me quickly and frowned. "Why are you bleeding?"

"You!" I roared and flipped backwards into the lake, vanishing under the water. I had already knocked my other body off so he wouldn't drown and I dove down as deep as I could. Only when I ran out of breath did I surface barely enough to let my nostrils above water. Mr. Tiny was crouched over my other body, shaking it hard. I growled and sprang, spraying water in all directions and snatched Mr. Tiny up, sliding back underwater with my prey. But I found it impossible to hold onto the man and he wriggled free, swimming back onto shore without a trace of water on him. I followed, weaving back and forth threateningly.

"You want to talk?" Mr. Tiny asked. "Then talk."

I paused; one foot raised and flared my nostrils. Then to make absolutely sure Mr. Tiny wouldn't go anywhere I lowered my foot and pinned him underneath my claws. "Fool." The blood from my shoulder slowly trickled down my leg, dripping onto Mr. Tiny's jacket. The one he had given me. I snorted and nudged the gash, licking away the hurt.

"I did that to you?" Mr. Tiny said. "I apologize."

My claws clenched tighter for a moment then relaxed. "I knew the odds were stacked against us," I hissed, forcing my vocal cords to make human sounds. "That doesn't mean I will run away and desert the Cirque. You were the one who turned away!" I got right in Mr. Tiny's face. "It was always you! You ruined my life from the beginning and made me what I am! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" I roared and then visibly shuddered to calm down when icicles shot from my mouth and impaled the ground next to Mr. Tiny's chest.

"I know."

"Nothing you say will fix it."

"I know," Mr. Tiny said quietly.

I snorted and crushed my claws down a little harder.

"But I want you to-"

I bent down and rested my head on Mr. Tiny, not caring much if he had a hard time breathing. My fangs were inches from his face and I kept them bared.

Mr. Tiny grabbed the feathers under my chin. "Look at me. I know you can tell when people are lying." His eyes met mine. "I can never make what I did right." He smiled wearily. "But _I am sorry_."

I froze. The air around Mr. Tiny sang with the truth of his words and I respected that; the anger was still there but finally I believed him. I slowly released the man and sat back on my hind legs, wrapping my tail around him and pulling him upright a little harder then necessary.

"We need to go back home," Mr. Tiny said after he straightened his clothing.

"No."  
Mr. Tiny looked up warily. "I know you are angry, but I thought-?"

"It isn't that," I said and padded over to my other body, nosing him. "I promised to help someone tonight and I intend to keep my word." I started to melt into my other body, sliding back onto his skin and I came awake gasping. I turned over my hands and looked at my feet, feeling much more small and clumsy in human form now.

"We can't afford to get in any more battles until we kill the Shadow Lord," Mr. Tiny said.

I pulled myself up to full height and crossed my arms. "Then we bring the fight to him. We know he can communicate with the shadows so let's beat them badly enough they go running to daddy."

"And the army?" Mr. Tiny questioned. He looked relieved that I was no longer as pissed off.

"Damn them," I growled. "Bring the entire might of the Cirque Du Freak and we can roll them over if we have too. Hopefully they learn from mistakes." I leaned forward and rubbed my hands together, already feeling bloodlust.

"How are we going to kill the Shadow Lord?"

"Before we could not. Now?" I smiled coldly. "It ends tonight. No more games. No more hiding behind our wards."

Mr. Tiny's hands suddenly flared red and he looked down at them in mild surprise.

"The Shadow Lord will be dead before dawn," I swore and turned, marching back toward the city and our certain demise.

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**R&amp;R Please? :D**


	24. Chapter 23-Finale Part II

**A.N. I hope you enjoy this chapter! It took longer to get up then I was hoping because I got my wisdom teeth out :P I got the pain under control a couple of days ago and started to write. Sorry for any typos my inner editor is not quite back to normal yet.  
**

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I crouched in front of Imoo who was sitting on a lawn chair, lashing his tail. His dark eyes were alight with curiosity, worry and anticipation. But the words to tell him everything were stuck in my throat. I swallowed hard and grasped the little monster slowly, lifting him closer and rested my face on his forehead, whispering the words only meant for Imoo and not for those hovering around preparing for battle. Telling Imoo directly who he was was too dangerous. He had to remember and acknowledge it himself, just like Harkat when he discovered his identity.

"Remember who you are," I breathed. "Remember the battles we fought together, the good times and bad." I knew Imoo didn't need me to speak through the bond to understand me anymore. He was that close to getting his identify back and speaking normally would help it along.

Imoo stiffened in my grasp and his breathing became short and fast. His eyes locked with mine and in them I could see a hint of something; not memories but still something. I urged him on rambling about the scenes of our past, but nothing too close to the truth. "Come on damn you!" I said. Around us the neighborhood I had promised to help was gearing up with homemade weapons.

_'__**Darren…' **_Imoo said and then his entire body started to seize. His back arched and spit flew from his mouth. Several onlookers scurried away and I shielded him from the more inquisitive watchers. When they didn't take the hint and move on I growled warningly, baring my fangs and they hurriedly left.

I laid the shadow down and tried to keep his claws away from my face. When he finally lay still it was with a terrified expression that I rolled him over. "Are you all right?" For a heart stopping moment I couldn't see him breathing. From far away I could see Evanna surveying the situation with calculating eyes and I silently warned her to stay put.

_**'Yes.' **_

It was only one word, but I grinned and squeezed Imoo to my chest. "Welcome back Mr. Crepsley." I felt like the world had just righted itself a little bit more. I was about to go to my almost certain death, but one more ally was back.

'_**Just in time for war, it seems. We must help the poor fools with duct tape weapons.' **_

I stood up and put Mr. Crepsley on my shoulder, turning in a slow circle to look over our army. It was a motley group of humans, vampaneze, freaks, vampires and Mr. Tiny, Evanna and I. The neighborhood we were in had rallied around our base camp in two collapsed houses. All around us freaks and vampires were helping the humans prepare for battle. Baseball bats had spikes made from twisted metals driven into them. Homemade armor made from pieces of wood and layers of clothing were abundant. Vampaneze had formed a chain line and were building defensive walls around the surrounding streets and houses. On top of the rooftops Evanna was setting up makeshift lookout towers. Mr. Tiny was clutching his heart shaped watch and chanting as he walked through the crowd. Setting up wards to keep shadows out was against the purpose of what we were trying to do, but he was laying simple protective layers of magic over as many people as he could. Every vampire and vampaneze within running distance was arriving one after another as the hours trickled away.

I picked up the assortment of weapons and armor that were laid out for me to put on one by one and checked them over; tugging on straps and testing the sharpness and balance of the weapons. To my keen dragon eyes everything glowed with magic, a distinct crimson red. I strapped on thick leather braces for my hands and lowered a lightly armored tunic over my head and strapped it tightly. Mr. Tiny had wanted to give me stronger armor, but I needed to be able to fight with mobility and speed. Heavy boots went on next; tiny blades were in the heel for a last resort weapon. For my two swords I had acquired a special harness that held them crossed on my back. Two knives hung from my belt and last, and my most favorite new toy was a set of metal claws that strapped to my hands. The points rested over where my claws would be if I grew them. It served to protect and make them even sharper. I put those on with a little bit of glee and flexed my hands experimentally. Since my fangs had showed no signs of going away I had also gotten a pair of metal tips to fasten on the ends of them. Every time I bit into something the tips would release a deadly toxin, capable of killing smaller shadows in seconds. The final touch was Mr. Crepsley's cloak fastened around my shoulders, lowered just a bit so it wouldn't get in the way of drawing weapons.

"Your turn," I said to Mr. Crepsley and showed him what Evanna had made. It was a beautiful silver linked collar with the front a plain sheet. The metal was engraved with runes to help Mr. Crepsley resist the Shadow Lords influence along with protection wards. Like all the others they would not last forever, which was something Mr. Tiny cursed.

'_**Put it on me if you must,' **_Mr. Crepsley muttered, delicately licking a paw. He had already put up a hell of a fight when he'd found it was a collar, but at my insistence he had grudgingly accepted defeat.

I did and closed the collar around Mr. Crepsley's neck, making sure all was as it should be. The collar flashed bright red and then faded away. "There," I said, trying not to grin and failing. "That's not bad at all. It brings out your eyes."

'_**The moment this war ends I am burning it,' **_Mr. Crepsley announced.

"The army is coming!" Abby shouted from a nearby rooftop and I turned quickly, sniffing the air. The oily smell of tanks was coming from the east but they were still far off. The fear scent of men was much closer and none of them belonged to us. I recognized only one scent, the one belonging to the sergeant.

"I'll deal with it," I groused and pushed my way through the crowd. I walked past the defensive walls which were almost complete, facing the setting sun and marched toward the Sergeant and his battalion of men. Mr. Crepsley stayed on my shoulder, his claws pricking the leather tunic. When I was only twenty feet away the sergeant held up his hand and I stopped; the red cloak fluttering around my ankles in the cool breeze. I was unguarded now. My poisoned tip fangs, claws and dragon eyes were out for the world to see and I had no regrets about it.

"You look ready for war," the Sergeant commented politely. His eyes were chilly, but there was a certain fearful respect in them now.

"This is war sir," I said stiffly. "A war that will not end with just you." I swept a hand back toward the neighborhood, gesturing to the vampaneze and their purple skin, the vampires with long nails and unkempt appearances, the freaks with all kinds of looks and then looked back at the Sergeant. "There is more to the world then what meets the eye. On our side we have Vampires, Vampaneze, Freaks, Magicians and dragons." I leaned forward, curling my lips. "You humans have tanks and bullets." I shrugged and picked at a claw. "I prefer going with the first option."

"And what are you?" The Sergeant asked, his hands twitching. He still looked disbelieving and all his previous bravado was coming back full force.

"I am a vampire, a human, a freak and a magician. I'm a mix from all sides." I took three steps forward, covering more ground then I should be able too and gripped the Sergeant by his shirt collar, shoving my fangs and eyes in his face. "When you are laying bleeding on the ground, your ammo spent and tanks blown to pieces, shadows swarming your troops from all directions where you will run? You've seen only a piece of what I can do and I'm younger then most of the others. Either we fight apart or together. Choose now or choose not at all." I lifted the Sergeant off the ground and nodded to his companions before dragging him backwards. In his ear I whispered to him. "I know you have seen friends die. Maybe family. You've watched children be torn apart. So have we. The shadows wont' stop until everything and everyone is dead and rotting in their stomachs. We know who their leader is and we can kill him."

The sergeant fell down when I dropped him and stayed down. He stammered. "The government would have known if you were living among us!"

"No," I said and knelt down. "No, you wouldn't. We are your friends, neighbors and even your family. We go to school, love, live and die alongside you." I smiled impassively "In fact I bet a few of us are in your army right now." The fear scent coming off the Sergeant intensified and I sighed. "Are you with us or against us?" I growled. "If you get in our way, fire upon us or harm one of our own in any way we will kill you."

Getting to his feet the Sergeant straightened his clothing imperiously and regained some control. "You say you know who the leader of the shadows is?"

"Yes," I said.

"You can kill him?"

"Yes," I said. "Only we have that power."

The Sergeant nodded and some of his fear faded away, to be replaced by hard determination. "Then," he said and stretched out his hand. "I accept your proposal of an alliance."

I shook the Sergeants hand and held on seconds longer then I needed to; adding. "After the war we will fade away. You won't be able to find us again unless we want you too. Don't go looking for us unless you actually need help." I let go and gave a short bow.

"How will we find you if we do need help?" The Sergeant asked.

I smiled. "One of us will always be watching."

"Forty-five minutes until complete sundown," The sergeant commented. He pulled out several pieces of paper from his back pocket and surveyed them. "I suggest we cooperate with each other in our plans of attack." His eyes kept going to Mr. Crepsley, but amazingly he said nothing about it. I decided to answer his unasked question.

"Imoo is not like the others," I said. "He will fight alongside us. Tell your men to avoid shooting the shadow with a collar."  
"Very well," the Sergeant said and I led him back to the camp, knocking several weapons off a table to make room for the sheets of paper. Symbols and arrows decorated the page and I studied them carefully. I knew what most of it meant from countless lessons in Vampire Mountain.

"You intend to strike at the center of the city?" I questioned. "Risky."

_**'It is a very vampire like plan. I like it,' **_Mr. Crepsley commented.

"We will have air support," the Sergeant said and thrust his finger at the middle of the city. "This is where the most shadow activity is at night even with the lights. We think they try to get in from here where several sewer lines intersect. They will probably come up from there when the lights are turned off."

"Has everyone evacuated?"

The Sergeant hesitated. "We put out an order, but some refuse to leave the city. We couldn't explain what was happening or jeopardize the plan."

"Fine," I said.

Several members from the vampire and vampaneze clans came up to us and tugged away the Sergeants companions, eagerly pointing out things around camp. The men looked terrified and I hid an amused smile. They would absolutely wet themselves when they met Mr. Tiny and Evanna.

"What does the leader of the shadows look like?" the Sergeant asked.

"Me," I said cautiously. "Think of him as an evil twin if you wish. The entire explanation would make your head hurt and we have little time for that. He looks exactly like me but you will be able to tell the difference right away. If you see him run in the opposite direction. None of your bullets will be able to give him as much as a scratch."

"Thirty minutes!" Someone shouted and a hoarse cry rang of approval rang out.

Mr. Tiny and Evanna approached and the Sergeant gave them appraising looks. "Your letting old people fight?"

I sniggered. "Those "old people" are the most powerful beings on the planet and my family."

The Sergeant paled and stood up straight when Evanna raised an eyebrow at him. "My apologies."

Evanna held out her hand and the Sergeant took it gingerly and shook it. He was still white as a sheet and I rolled my eyes.

"Stop playing with him Evanna," I said smiling.

_**'Humans deserve to squirm once in a while,' **_ Mr. Crepsley said.

"Shush," I told Mr. Crepsley.

"Time to move out!" Mr. Tiny roared. His voice carried down every street. "You all know your groups! Form up and go!" His dragon sword was strapped to his waist and that was the only visible weapon I could see him carrying. Evanna also had her dragon sword, but there was an extra one on her back.

"Good luck!" I said and turned down a side street. The sergeant returned to his men and they got in a car, speeding away.

As I walked my friends joined me. Debbie, Evra, Harkat, Evanna, Mr. Tiny and Mr. Crepsley were in my group. All of them geared up and wearing equally nervous but fierce expressions. Each group was responsible for their own. Each one had assignments to carry out. Most of them had fighting status, but we were the kill squad. Our goal was to make it through the fighting, locate and kill the Shadow Lord. Our squad was a man short as there weren't enough people.

_**'We are a man short. This does not bode well,' **_Mr. Crepsley hissed.

**'Maybe we will pick somebody up along the way,' **I said privately to him**. 'Besides Evanna and Mr. Tiny count for several people all on their own.' **

_** 'Yes but they are one person in body and will not always be there. Six people, three pairs and one scout that bounces around between them. Now we are all taking turns with scout duty and one person will be partner less,' **_ Mr. Crepsley warned severely.

The skyscrapers loomed overhead as we stepped into the city. The lights were still blazing; we had fifteen minutes to get into a position of security before the lights flickered and went out altogether. All around us other groups of army men and freaks were splitting off from each other. Some groups nodded, while others remained stoic and refused to look at each other. The setting sun sent blinding rays between the buildings and I squinted, stepping around manhole covers with wariness.

"Why did you bring that sword?" I asked Evanna, nodding at the extra dragon sword.

Evanna shrugged. "It felt like the right thing to do."

I accepted that answer and trudged onward. Inside my body was churning, not from fear but the last bits of my cells coming together. It made my skin tingle with magic. I had already downed enough blood for months, but my intake had increased drastically over the past few weeks. I drank almost every day and while Mr. Tiny said that was probably normal because of magic draining my body it still made me nervous. I flew into bloodlust much easier and if I went without for even half a week I became violent and quick to bite anything that moved. Another interesting change was that my fangs turned hollow when it was time to drink so I could suck blood through them. At first this amused me greatly, but after awhile sinking fangs into people looses its charm.

"Did you bring the supplies?" Evanna asked Mr. Tiny and I frowned, looking sideways at a small leather bag in Mr. Tiny's fist I hadn't noticed before.

"Yes," Mr. Tiny said. "I'll need a tall building, preferably with lots of roof space." He squeezed his hand and the bag vanished to be replaced with his heart shaped watch.

"Five minutes," Debbie said right when the lights flickered, once, twice and then a third time. Her hand snuck out and grabbed mine.

I squeezed her hand back and we ducked into one of the tallest skyscrapers. The inside was eerily quiet and it looked like it had been evacuated in quite a hurry. Papers fluttered around the room and through still open windows. Computers were left on with the owners' work still shining on screen. We left the elevator alone and climbed the stairs. The others ran up the steps while I grabbed the railings and hauled myself up floor after floor, gaining speed as I went. At each floor I dropped a small pebble on the stairs; miniature wards flared up each time. The people on our side would be able to pass through them and it would keep shadows out for a short while even if they were nothing like the wards surrounding the house. I reached the rooftop and pushed it open, dropping the last pebble on the ground and looked over the edge. Tanks swarmed the streets, growing closer together the further into the city they went. With my eyes I could see other groups perched behind buildings, on other rooftops and on the ground mingling with the bulk of the army.

"One minute," Evra shouted as he burst through the door first, puffing loudly.

"Get ready," Harkat told me. "We need to shock the shadows so the army can pull ahead right away."

I nodded and planted my feet firmly in the ground, curling my claws into a loose fist. I worked at my fangs, trying to contain the magic while I let the dragon curl up to the surface of my mind, filling me with fury. This part of the plan Evanna and Mr. Tiny didn't know about. They had their own ideas about how to give us a few seconds jump, but their plan was slow. This was quick and to the point.

Mr. Tiny and Evanna stepped through the door and faced the city alongside us.

"Ten seconds!" Debbie yelled.

The lights flickered once more. The spaces between each grew longer and longer. I pulled on the dragon, letting him take my voice and leaned forward, placing my clawed hand on the edge of the roof. My dragon eyes gleamed in the sudden darkness and the army turned to look up at me, some backing away. The manholes shook and then shot away; shadows swept out of them in a black wave.

I opened my mouth, bared my fangs and roared. The sound poured out of my throat with a dangerous, feral sound that blasted through the city, rolling between the buildings. It was the roar of a furious dragon and the shadows split apart, confused for a precious second. The Cirque and army that had not moved leapt into battle, driving the monsters back and I nodded to Evra. He grabbed me around the waist and I jumped off the roof. Above me Evanna and Debbie jumped then came Mr. Tiny with Harkat. I put my hand on the windows as they flashed by and gradually slowed our fall to a survivable pace. I dropped Evra into an open window on the fifth floor and hit the ground with a boom. The concrete split under my hands and cracks spread up the street. Mr. Tiny and Harkat landed with a bit more finesse. Evanna came down a minute later with Evra on her back and Debbie holding onto the ropes around her waist.

I plunged into battle, driving up Main Street with fury. I shook off the first shadow that went for me and slammed him into the street with bone breaking force. A quick nip with my poisoned fangs sent him scurrying away to die. Mr. Tiny flung flaming arrows into the crowd, picking off his enemies with deadly accuracy. Evra and Debbie hung back, using a bow and arrow while Harkat and Evanna went the more "hands on" approach, welding battle axes. We had no need for words. Every glance was taken and understood and our positions adjusted accordingly. I easily adopted the scout position and jumped onto a lamp post, perching there for several seconds while Mr. Crepsley darted underneath me; sliding under the larger shadows and gutting them with his claws before they figured out he wasn't on their side. I laughed and Mr. Crepsley echoed it in my mind, the bond singing with his joy.

I darted to an army man who had gotten separated from his battalion and pulled a shadow off his twitching body with one hand, sinking the other clawed hand deep into his side. I didn't bother with the fangs this time and picked up the man, tucking him well under a tarp at the side of the road. His wounds were most likely fatal, but I'd given him the best chance of survival he had.

At the middle of the street the army and few vampaneze there were quickly becoming overwhelmed. I sent a silent picture to Mr. Crepsley and he passed it on to Mr. Tiny. I fell to all fours and pounded up the street, pausing right before the battle. I planted my hands, curled my claws into the street, raised my head and roared. The dragon sang and the shadows tumbled backwards. The army men and vampaneze raised their bloody weapons and sliced into the shocked shadows. I took out a few shadows as I passed, biting them with relish and kicking their bodies aside as they fell. I had yet to draw my swords; the dragon weapon would be for the Shadow Lord only.

"Any sign of him?" I shouted to the vampires I passed. They all shook their heads.

I sniffed the air and cocked my head, eyes widening. There, just a faint trace in there but definitely present was a scent I knew well. Steve Leopard was fighting somewhere close by and he smelled injured.

'**I need to find him,' **

'_**No! He will try to kill you Darren and we have little time for side trips!' **_

'**He is my brother. There is still a chance to save him!' **

'_**You would run off and delay the mission while others die around you?' **_

I swore loudly and turned away from the smell, forcing myself to walk away. Steve's scent floated by again, this time tinged with fear and I stopped again. All of Steve's emotions had been tampered with and fear had not been allowed by the Shadow Lord.

Mr. Tiny clasped my shoulder and jerked me backwards right as a shadow jumped. He tugged me down the street, further and further from Steve and I almost bit him before remembering the poisoned tips. "Let me go!" I shouted. He released me and I shoved him backwards. "Steve is himself again we have to find him!"  
"Later," Mr. Tiny said hoarsely and pointed upward.

On top of a relatively small building compared to others in the city the Shadow Lord was crouching at the edge of the rooftop, scanning the battlefield with contempt written all over his posture. I growled and raised my hand, intending to blast ice at him but Mr. Tiny grabbed my hand and held it back.

"We can't kill him from a distance. He mustn't know we know where he is." Mr. Tiny sounded completely reasonable, but my body burned with fury that would only be quenched with death.

I forced myself to turn away and slip back into battle. Blood, both red and black drenched the streets with such thickness I slipped several times. Bodies lay on top of each other, eyes staring blankly upward. _'Too many' _I thought stricken. Debbie took scout position next and I paired with Harkat, striding side by side with him. A pack of shadows split off from the main group and drove us down an alleyway. _'So much for avoiding most of the fighting,' _I thought sarcastically. Sometimes out of the corner of my eye I caught flashes of movement that didn't belong to either side. A suited vest or a pair of dark leather jackets; they were tall men with black eyes and expressions rivaling the Shadow Lord. I didn't dwell on who they were, knowing that until the war was finished they would not step in to aid anybody. The gods were here and by the way they were staring at me with greedy faces I knew they were waiting to usher my body back to Paradise where I would watch the world die.

"Down!" Harkat roared.

I flattened myself to the ground and a shadow leapt over me. Harkat brought the axe down and split the shadows skull. The monster fell dead on me and I pushed it off with a grunt, using its body as a shield for the next shadow to run at us. The beast bounced off its dead brethren before dissolving as Harkat sliced it in two. The makeshift shield dissolved too and I wiped my hands, disgusted. My claws were stained black and the magical shields adorning our armor were fading.

The five remaining shadows paced at the end of the alley, barking and snarling at one another. They seemed to be debating a plan of attack and I hissed at them when they came close. I crouched down and opened my mouth to roar but they suddenly turned tail and fled. The sound died in my throat and I exchanged a confused look with Harkat who lowered his axe half an inch suspiciously. The shadows didn't come back and I ran out of the alley, rejoining with the others who had been looking for us.

"We need to get up there quickly!" I yelled over the sounds of screams and howling monsters.

"Any suggestions?" Evra called back; quickly stabbing a shadow with a short dagger. He leaned against a lamppost and wiped the weapon clean before drawing another knife.

"Evanna, Desmond and I can get up there a lot faster then you can. And his first attack will be devastating. We have a better chance of surviving that." I said. "What if we went up ahead and you came in soon as possible?"

"Darren your body isn't extra resilient like the rest of your family," Debbie said.

I nodded. "True. But I am fast. Plus I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve."

"Should we take the stairs or just climb straight up the outside walls?" Evanna asked as we ducked into a side street to discuss our plan.

"We each take one outside wall," Mr. Tiny said. "Evra, Debbie and Harkat take the stairs." He looked me and said sternly. "No releasing that dragon, do you understand?"

"Yes," I said flatly. "But I am getting close to merging completely and when that happens I don't know if I'll have a choice in the matter." The dragon stirred in answer and I shivered slightly, flexing my jaws until the fangs were back to normal size.

Mr. Tiny looked me dead in the eye and spoke each word clearly and forcefully. "When the merge is completed you will be one of the greatest weapons on earth. Your body may be weaker but magic will drive every weakness from you eventually. You will discover your final looks when shifted. It may take hundreds to thousands of years to completely learn control, but eventually nothing will be able to kill you."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but the excitement of being done with the stomach churning changes would be nice. On the other hand being I didn't want to be old as Evanna and still work on explosive outbreaks of magic. "Enough talking. Whatever happens will happen, so let's not stand around talking about it," I said and turned to Debbie, gripping her by the shoulders. "Be careful."

"You too," Debbie said and right before I turned toward the skyscraper; mouthed the words: "I love you."

I grinned at Debbie and faced the skyscraper; looking up and up and up. At the top the Shadow Lord commanded his army, oblivious to the hurt coming his way. I had a general idea of how to kill him, but the act of getting close enough to do so would be the hardest thing I'd ever done. "Evanna," I said on a whim, not sure why I was asking. "Give me the extra sword please." Then I realized why I needed it. "I would like another dragon sword in case this one gets destroyed."

Evanna nodded and waved her hand. The dragon sword floated to the other side of my belt and I released my old sword to let it take its place. I was sad to see the weapon go and propped it up besides a building. Maybe I would be able to come back for it someday. As the other dragon sword sheathed itself I noticed the subtle differences between the weapons. Mine had changed since I'd gotten it too. The hilt was blue, but the colors shifted constantly from shade to shade. The dragon head was more active, and it stretched around my hand like a copy of the one on my body. The spare sword was black and that dragon was lifeless, its eyes unseeing. Mr. Tiny's was crimson red and it was the most restless of them all, constantly winding up its owners arm. Evannas was forest green, also shifting in shades slightly but not as drastically; her dragon was calmly surveying the surroundings and I felt a ping of jealously at her ability to calm down magic.

"Go!" I yelled above the sounds of battle and leapt up, my foot catching the glass and holding. Mr. Tiny and Evanna split off to go to their respective sides and I began the long climb while the others headed inside. But before I'd gotten twenty feet a strangled cry split the air, familiar and heartbreaking in sound. _Steve. _ He had spilled out of a group of shadows below and was fighting them off with a piece of rusty pipe. His body was clawed and a split lip sent blood running down his chin but he looked furious and ready to keep fighting. I dropped down within arms reach and yelled nearly in his ear with joy. "Steve! Grab my hand!" The only reason the shadows would turn on him was because he had finally and completely broken free of the Shadow Lord.

Steve turned and looked at my hand hovering in front of him. His face flickered with uncertainty and then, slowly, almost fearfully his palm settled over mine and I was leaping up, and away from the shadows, pulling Steve along with me.

"Grab onto my shoulders and hang on!" I shouted and barely gave Steve enough time to do so before I set my hands back on the glass and climbed swiftly. Steve's panting breaths filled my ears for a minute before he spoke.

"Why did you save me?" His words gave me the impression he was expecting me to climb to the top and drop him straight off the side again.

"I need a reason?" I asked. "Steve this isn't the time for rivalries. Neither of us are the same people we were before. We have seen, done and heard things that no normal person could ever understand. We are best friends and brothers. Mr. Tiny drove us apart and I will fix that even if it kills me. I hated you for a long time, but I forgave Mr. Tiny for his mistakes and I can forgive you too."

"And you owed me for all those soccer games I helped you win as a kid," Steve said and I could nearly feel his smirk.

"That too," I said chuckling. "Now are we going to kill the Shadow Lord or not?"

"Hell yeah," Steve purred. "Who else is on the crew?"

"Debbie, Evra, Harkat, Evanna, Mr. Tiny and Imoo," I replied. I had no reason to reveal Imoo's identity right now. "And you." I gave Steve a quick run down of what Mr. Tiny and I had to do to kill the Shadow Lord and Steve let out a long breath.

"Did you not think I had to forgive him too?" Steve asked.

I froze, my body hanging from the glass. "No, at the time I thought you were lost and it didn't matter."

"It's fine," Steve said tiredly. "I forgave him a long time ago. Probably shortly after I woke up actually."

"How?" I asked.

"I couldn't blame a monster for being a monster when I was one myself," Steve said.

"Oh," I said quietly. I cleared the top of the sky scraper and hid behind a rooftop air conditioning unit. I could hear Mr. Tiny and Evanna doing the same and several floors below, the others racing up the steps. I pulled Steve up and tucked him behind the same unit, gently unsheathing the two dragon swords without a sound. "The chances of anyone surviving except Mr. Tiny is unlikely," I said and gave Steve a quick rundown of the gods motives. "But I think they made at least one mistake already. They were only planning on me coming back. When the Shadow Lord brought you back to life that changed the game."

Steve smirked again. "That's my job. Bloody, bloody chaos." His eyes narrowed. "I think you changed the game too. I highly doubt the "gods" expected you to become this organized or powerful."

"Trust me I'm having a hard time from shifting and killing everyone here," I growled. "I don't think that qualifies."

"But that's power! Power they can't control! Use it and shove it in their faces if you have too. Don't bow down because someone is impossibly strong. I would have given up a long time ago if I did that," Steve said with force. "Call on that power let it fill you up. But don't get lost in it and become like Mr. Tiny was."

I bared my fangs and gripped Steve by the shoulders, pushing my face into his. I let him stare for a long while into my dragon eyes and then said. "Pull me back?"

"I won't let you fall," Steve said calmly.

I took the black dragon sword and gently rested it in Steve's hands; closing his hands around it. The black dragon stirred and blinked sleepily at Steve. "This is yours now."

"I have no magic," Steve said. "The sword won't be much use."

"You don't need magic to belong to this family," I said.

Steve ran his fingers over the hilt wonderingly and then grinned. "Let's go kill a monster," he hissed.

I stood up and Steve did the same. Our eyes met and Steve gave me a sly look. The one I had always seen when we were children playing soccer. The look that promised mayhem and pain for the other team. Then Steve let out a cry and sprinted out from behind the unit; his legs pumping furiously. I paused for a split second and then called on the magic until my body shook with it. Then I snarled and leapt on top of the metal thing, sniffing the air. The Shadow Lord was standing at the edge of the roof, jeering at Steve who had been blown sideways into a pole. Mr. Tiny was flinging darts of flame at the man with no effect while Evanna was in the midst of transforming into a huge creature. The Shadow Lord turned and his gaze locked with mine. His head cocked and then he smiled, beckoning me forward with one finger.

"Come play Darren Shan," he chuckled.

"Gladly," I growled the last human word I was able to speak. Then my vocal cords changed, my claws curled and I sprang. I slammed into the invisible shield surrounding the Shadow Lord and sank my claws into it. Blue sparks flew everywhere and then I was through, punching the Lord in the face. He staggered and recovered with frightening speed. His fist flew and I was sailing backwards, narrowly missing Steve as I tumbled by. I crumpled to the ground right behind him.

"Nice of you to drop in," Steve commented.

I growled and stared at Steve, trying to remember if he was friend or foe when a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me backward. Again I went flying and this time hit the air condition unit with a crunch. I tasted blood and tossed aside the ruined pieces of my clothing and Mr. Crepsley's cloak baring my fangs. The dragon struggled to break free and I let it out part way without a thought for Mr. Tiny's instructions. My skin burned and feathers streamed up my spine, flowing down my torso until I was completely covered in them. I slipped between the poles, gliding toward my prey but the Shadow Lord laughed and flicked his fingers, once again sending me flailing.

Mr. Tiny lashed out but his blow went wide when the Shadow Lord turned and dodged. However, he ignored Mr. Tiny and continued after me while I dragged myself away.

"Pathetic," he murmured, keeping pace with me as I crawled. "Sorry little Darren Shan, who couldn't even muster up enough power to save himself." He kicked me once in the ribs and it was when I turned around that I saw Steve slowly creeping toward the Shadow Lord, the dragon sword held out. "Your silly friends are never getting up here. My shadows saw to that. It was a pity really, that girl was quite pleasing on the eyes."

Steve clenched his fists and looked me, mouthing over and over. "Get angry. Let loose!" While he crept forward.

I beseeched him with my eyes; trying to get him to understand that if I let go all hell would break loose. Another kick to my ribs brought me back down and I snarled.

Steve threw up his hands and shouted. "Darren! Mr. Tiny and Evanna could never get close! They are too in control! You are the wild card, the loose cannon! Make him pay!"

Fear clenched me and I stared up the Shadow Lord as he twirled a knife between his hands, standing over me in triumph. The shield was back around us and neither Mr. Tiny nor Evanna could get through.

"I'll never let you fall!" Steve screamed.

"Die Darren Shan," the Shadow Lord hissed and brought the knife down.

My hand snapped up at super human speed and grabbed the Shadow Lords knife hand. The others around me were of no importance now; it was only me and the prey in front of me who was about to die. Slowly but surely I pushed his hand backward until I was standing up. Our arms wrapped around each other as we fought. I snapped my head forward and slammed him in the forehead; his head snapped backwards and I bared my fangs. I slapped the palm of my hand into his chest and the Lord was flung backwards, into the same pole my brother had hit. My skin was burning now and the Lords blows seemed to come slower and slower, until I was able to block every single one. I drove the Shadow Lord into the ground and stood over him, driving his head into the roof over and over.

"Darren!"

I turned my head slightly to see what the fuss was and the Shadow Lord knocked me off. I roared in annoyance and made to jump but I was a second too slow. The Shadow Lord went for a new target: A lone boy holding a black handled sword at the edge of the roof. I ran up behind the Lord and grabbed him around the middle right as his hand closed around the boy's throat. My blood made holding on hard and we hovered at the edge. Steve had managed to drive his black sword into the Shadow Lord and it stuck out from his chest.

"Steve, Steve," tutted the Shadow Lord. "You were my special project. Why did you go and ruin yourself?"

"F*** off," the boy choked, his feet dangling into open space as he scrabbled at the Shadow Lords hand.

A woman appeared out of nowhere and pulled all three of us away from the edge; but also sending us flying in different directions. I screamed in anger and drew my dragon sword, whipping it at the woman who had dared to interfere in my battle. She ducked backwards and raised her palms; saying something that I didn't bother to work out into English. I lunged again and she batted me sideways, gently but it still stung when I scraped along concrete. When I got back up she was hurling barbed missiles at the Shadow Lord and not paying attention to me. I grinned savagely and raised my sword, intending to punch it through her heart. But the boy who had landed closest to the Shadow Lord shouted at me and waved his arms widely.  
"Stop Darren!" He yelled.

I paused for a split second and then shook myself. It was foolish to let a cub tell orders. I raised my sword again, intending to finish the blow but a choked, spurting sound made me freeze. The boy was standing in front of Evanna now, with the Shadow Lord directly behind him. The boy looked ghost white and terrified, but certain serenity hung about him now. A sword protruded from his stomach, the tip barely poking out from his shirt.

"Never…let…you…fall…Darren…" the boy said and fell to his knees.  
The Shadow Lord grabbed Steve by the hair and kept him upright, not bothering to remove the sword. The knife was back in hand without a word, without a gloating sentence slit Steve's throat.

"STEVE!" I howled.

I jumped over Evanna and body slammed the pair. The jump held more power then I'd intended and Steve, the Shadow Lord and I were carried over the side of the roof. As we fell I tried to find Steve's pulse but it was impossible with the blood slicking his neck. I grabbed onto the glass and slowed our fall just enough to hit the ground with less than lethal force. The Shadow Lord took the brunt of the fall and I landed on top of him with Steve sprawling out to the side, his head flopping sideways. The battle paused around us, shadows and soldiers separating to watch. I grabbed both Steve's and my dragon sword and brought them over my head, looking down at the Shadow Lord who was lying in the ditch we had created upon landing. His hand was flying up to flick me backwards but I knocked it aside. "Damn you," I croaked and drove my sword through his heart. The two blades crossed when mine sank into his chest and the world exploded. I was pushed backwards and rolled several feet before the power ended. When I looked up there was nothing but black sludge remaining of the Shadow Lord.

"Steve…" I moaned and crawled through wreckage, shoving aside huge chunks of cement like sticks to uncover his body. I wiped the blood away and saw that the wound across his throat wasn't a perfect cut. His pulse was still there, but slowing all the time and I slapped him across the face. "Wake up! WAKE UP!`" Behind me I could hear that Harkat, Evra, Mr. Crepsley and Debbie had found their way out and that Mr. Tiny and Evanna had landed too. I didn't care that I had just won; I had to make sure Steve would be alright.

"Stop," Steve's voice was so faint I almost missed it. His eyes fluttered open and I wiped the blood off his face before it dripped into his eyes.

"You'll be alright!" I said.

"Did you…kill the…bastard…?" Steve questioned.

"Yes," I said.

"Good," Steve said and the fire was back in his eyes. "Good…"

"Mr. Tiny will heal you," I promised.

"This is beyond…him…I…think…" Steve said and blood dripped from his lips.

"No. Nothing is beyond that man."

"I don't…want to…be…fixed…" Steve whispered.

"What?" I said, not sure if I had heard him right.

"I…will…always…be…dark," Steve said softly, his voice fading in and out. "I will…always…go…bad…eventually." This time he sounded stronger and surer of himself. "I want to die knowing…that I did something good." He grinned painfully. "Mr. Tiny made me this…way…and I can….never…truly…change."

"He changed!" I cried. "So can you! He can change you!"

"You…know…that…kind of fix…would probably…drive me even… more insane."

More blood poured from Steve's stomach and I pulled him to my chest. "I'm sorry," I said, rocking back and forth. "I'm sorry."

"Did…I…do…good?" Steve asked hopefully.

"Yes," I said, openly crying now. "Yes you did well."

Steve grinned one more time and his body relaxed and the light in his eyes went out.

I slowly laid his body on the street and stared at it for a moment. "GOD DAMNIT" I howled and slammed my fists into the asphalt, creating two small pits. Arms wrapped around me and I held onto Mr. Tiny, screaming into his shoulder. My fangs punctured his collar bone but the man didn't flinch and rode out my grief until I was able to speak.

"He died as Steve Leonard, not as Steve Leopard," I snarled.

Mr. Tiny made the death touch sign and gently rested his hand on Steve's forehead. His face was hard and I could feel the sorrow and guilt radiating off him. Evanna crouched beside Steve and flicked her finger; a blanket appeared in her hands and she slowly covered him.

When Mr. Tiny slowly helped me upright I leaned on him for just a moment before going and picking up Steve. His head rested on my shoulder and I didn't recover his face when the blanket slid down. "Help me burn his body," I said to my father. "Help his soul up to Paradise."

Soldiers parted, stumbling over the shadows that had gotten strangely submissive after their Lords death. I walked between them and set Steve on a pile of debris from a shattered café, arranging his body so it looked like he was sleeping; I could have been fooled if it hadn't been for the blood. I took the blanket off Steve completely and nodded to Mr. Tiny. He built a ball of fire in his hand and threw it carefully. Steve was lit up in flames and I clenched my jaw, watching the smoke go higher and higher into the sky. "Even in death may you be triumphant," I said through a fresh wave of grief.

The sun broke over the horizon before the fire sputtered out and Steve's ashes lay alone. The soldiers started to turn away but I stepped closer, working up enough magic to gently gather up the last remains of Steve into a little pile. I raised my hands and tossed them through the air and Steve's ashes shot into the sky, scattering among the morning sunbeams before combining with the dust of battle and vanishing forever.

I turned away and froze. Imoo was standing slightly apart from another group of shadows. But his body was stretching out of shape. Then every shadow in sight was following suit, shifting into a suspiciously human form. All of them started to glow and I was forced to close my eyes. When the light faded I gaped. The shadows were _human_. Men and women and children of all ages and races. But among them I could see familiar faces: Arra, Gavner, Paris, vampires that had died in the Mountain, Kurda Smahlt, the vampaneze that had been the decoy for Steve, and Mr. Crepsley standing directly in front of me. Even as I watched the restored humans, vampires and vampaneze started to dissolve just like Harkat had in the Lake of Souls. Except this time it kept going. Gavner gave me a cheeky wave and a nod. Arra pointed waved. Paris did nothing but give a small smile. Kurda started to take a step forward but he was gone before his foot hit the ground. Only Mr. Crepsley stayed behind, shimmering in the morning light. He looked just as he did when he died.

"Mr-Mr. Crepsley?" I said slowly. I took a wondering step forward and then I was running at him, stopping just before I touched him, afraid that if I did he would fade away just like the others. The bond we shared hovered in between us.

"Hello Darren," Mr. Crepsley said, giving me his customary half smile.

"How are you still here?" I asked eyes wide with hope.

"I shouldn't be," Mr. Crepsley said and I saw him wince.

"What do you mean?" I said, my body slumping in a little.

"You have to let me go Darren," Mr. Crepsley said gently. His scar was illuminated by the rising of the sun and it made him look less haggard.

I could still see the threads of our bond between us, thin as spiders silk but stronger then steel. All I had to do was snip them and my mentor would return to Paradise around him just like all the others.

"No!" I choked. "I can't!" Angry tears dipped down my cheeks and I grasped the threads securely, afraid they might break. They were vibrating now, sending cold chills into my hands but I refused to release them. I felt like I'd just been punched in the chest and I nearly shut down completely. First Steve and now Mr. Crepsley. "I just got you back!"

Mr. Crepsley stroked his long scar and I nearly dissolved into a blubbering mess. "I was never back. Being a shadow was only a imitation of life and a poor one at that." He smiled. "You released me. Now I am asking you to help me one more time."

"It's not fair," I whimpered.

"No," Mr. Crepsley agreed and through he turned his head I could see a suspicious shimmer in his eyes. "I was longing to hear the tales of your other adventures and wonder how you ever managed to survive."

"Even now that you know who I am and what I could become? You aren't ashamed I'm your apprentice?"

Mr. Crepsley chuckled. "I am just glad I figured out where that hot temper and damned stubborn streak came from. You aren't my apprentice however." The vampire gestured to the stunned soldiers who was watching. "Darren Shan is ready to move on, blood and train his own apprentices as he sees fit. He has exceeded all expectations."

I blinked and stretched out a hand tentatively. The old vampire grasped it and pulled me into a rib breaking hug. I rested my head on his shoulder and sobbed into his cloak. "How are you wearing your cloak? It was destroyed!"

"I appeared how I was in life. It wouldn't matter if every bit of my clothing was destroyed," Mr. Crepsley said into my ear. His voice wavered in pain and I squeezed him that much harder, desperately clinging to the scraps of our bond. "Please."

I groaned brokenly and ripped apart the threads. The two ends split apart smoothly, sending a burst of light only we could see into the air. Mr. Crepsley shone too; in brilliant gold's and silvers. His body started to dissolve under my fingers and I held on as long as I could. Then nothing was left but a red cloak fluttering in my shaking hands and a last whisper of Imoo's voice saying: "Bring me some goldfish next time we meet, eh?"

When I turned back around to my friends, tears sliding down my cheeks I saw a very pissed off man striding up the street, lighting sparking from his fingertips. His lips curled and the air was sucked from my lungs.

"Darren Shan…" he hissed.

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**R&amp;R PLEASE! **

**Last chapter will be up soon! I can't believe I am this close to finishing. It will be a sad but happy day.**

**Then I get to start the sequel *evil laugh* **


	25. Chapter 24- Finale III

**A.N. **

**And here it is the final chapter.**

**I can't believe it's finished. To all my reviewers: Thank you so much! Without all of you I would _never_ have completed this story and gone on to plan a sequel.**

**The title for the next story will be The Tiny Series #2: A Boy Called Shadow. The first chapter will be up soon. I thought Darren would make it to Vampire Mountain in the first story, but unfortunately he didn't. I do know he will go there in the sequel though. (For sure.)**

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I planted my feet in the ground and stared scathingly at the god who was striding up the street; lighting sparking in his eyes and on his fingers. I didn't give a crap about him. I had just lost my brother and mentor; nothing would keep me from destroying this arrogant bastard's power. I was minutes away from merging completely and in that moment, for one brief second I would blow the god out of the water or die trying. Mr. Tiny moved forward but I shook my head and gestured for them all to get back. "This is between me and him," I snapped.

It was only luck that kept Evra from being ripped apart the moment the god laid eyes on him. The snake boy was just walking away when a lighting bolt snapped into the ground where he had been standing moments before. As it was, he was blown forward behind a tank.

"Leave them alone!" I roared. "This is between us! They have nothing to do with it!"

"They are all involved Darren Shan! Each and every one of them helped you ruin my plans! All of them will suffer immeasurably and I will keep you alive to watch." The gods lip curled as he gazed upon Mr. Tiny. "And that man will suffer the most of all."

I snarled. "I just killed what you sent to destroy us. I watched my brother die and my mentor leave _again_. In my current mood you are nothing!"

The god leveled his stare at me and suddenly I was gripped in power so vast I choked on it. It felt like a hand had grabbed me and was slowly squeezing the life out of me. The dragon squirmed but even he couldn't work his way off my skin. My face turned blue before the hand relaxed, still holding me deathly tight; I tried to use magic to flicker out like I had when Evanna had attacked me but nothing happened.

"Do not pretend to understand the measure of my power. In one sweep of a hand I can destroy continents and kill billions. We are your leaders, whispering in your ears over the centuries to make sure you do not end yourselves." The god took on a would be soft expression and the grip on me lessened even further. "What humans have become is owed to us."

"I don't think so," I shouted and pointed at Mr. Tiny. "He is the one that has traveled through time. Even if it was for bad intentions for a long time he was the one that helped us breakthrough. Humans owe their existence now to him alone. You "gods" have been busy sitting on thrones who knows where and holding the threat of death over his head."

The god dropped me in a heap and the power slammed me into the ground so hard I sprawled there with for sure a broken arm. "I will destroy you!"

I stood up, cradling my arm. "Then do it!" I screamed. "DO IT! Burn me to the ground! But leave the others alone!" There was no more thought for fighting in my head now. I was trying to salvage as many lives as I could. "You are the one who brought me back to serve your twisted purpose so end it." I paused. "At least I'm guessing it was you. Did the others make you come down to clean up your mess?" I sneered.

The god clenched his fists and his fingers sparked. Before I could dodge lighting flashed and I was blasted into the sky. Crimson and green light filled the sky and power pushed me back toward the god; sinking into my skin until I burned. Mr. Tiny and Evanna were sending every ounce of power they had into my body and my magic couldn't take it. I groaned and arched backwards, the skin along my shoulder blades splitting apart. I screamed as immense pressure surged up my spine until I felt like I would snap in half. My vision went dark and then I couldn't hear, couldn't think. Then I fell down to the ground, landing on top of a tank and rolling off. When I stood up I felt completely at peace; the merging of my body had completed and now it was the gods turn to look wary. A funny sensation at my shoulders made me turn my head and I nearly fainted. Wings stretched out from my shoulder blades, matching my dragons perfectly. The feathers were changing constantly like ocean water and I knew without testing it that my wings would be completely waterproof. I fluttered them lightly and the sweeping motion made a light breeze run down the street. When I sniffed the air I was startled to find that though Evanna and the others smelled the same, Mr. Tiny had changed completely. Instead of soothing ocean his scent was like a forest fire; rampant and deadly.

I flapped my wings once, drawing wind underneath them and cocked my head at the god who looked torn between anger and fear. The dragon, vampire and human were finally united as one being. I was a new creature, something the world had never seen before. My fangs had steadied now, hollow for feeding but stronger and sharper then any substance on earth. And just like I knew my wings were waterproof, I knew my eyes had changed too; now they were bright blue and silver, shifting subtly just like my wings. They held the ocean just like Mr. Tiny held fire.  
"Come here little god," I purred in a deep rumbling dragon voice. I had an idea now; and it was a horrible one. The consequences would be huge and I didn't know if anyone would be able to come back from it, but I had to try. To do that I needed the god to be face to face with me. "Let me show you how I fight."

The god screamed and ran up the street at near flitting speed. His entire body was sparking now and I laughed before diving forward to meet him. Our bodies met in an explosion of power and we rolled over and over, snarling and snapping like dogs. I pulled on magic and the street began to rumble; cracks spread up and down the length of the city and with a final wrench I freed every ounce of water in the streets. Water burst from shattered pipe lines and streamed through the cracks in the street. I held it back as it roared toward us and the stream turned into a wall of water as I kept pulling, drawing the water from miles around. My broken arm soon flopped uselessly at my side but I battled on, sinking my fangs into the gods neck until I drew blood. I was careful not to swallow any of it no matter how much bloodlust I felt; I didn't feel the need to experiment with adding a fourth species to the mix of my body.

The god stumbled backwards, holding his bleeding neck with a mixture of shock and disbelief. "I don't bleed," he said.

"Everyone bleeds," I hissed. I let go of the water and it roared down Main Street with the power of a tsunami. It left our allies alone, merely leaving them drenched but in place, but it carried the god and I away into the swirling water. I pulled in a breath, uncaring of the water flooding my lungs and grasped the god around the neck, digging my claws into his jugular. The power from the merge was fading and I knew the moment it left completely the god would kill everyone no matter how much power I had left. I had to do it now. I drew on every ounce of power; mine, Evannas, Mr. Tiny's, the people who had a touch of magic within them but not enough to notice and closed my eyes. Then I hesitated, my heart clenching. I would loose everything. My new family and my friends. They would never know what had happened.

"You may be a god," I rasped. "But you have to follow your own rules. They are locked into the fabric of magic aren't they? That's why you haven't hurt anyone else in the world. Because they have no idea what is going on between you and I."

The gods eyes narrowed and within them I saw a glimmer of realization. "You wouldn't," he snarled.

"You can't touch them if they don't remember anything!" I howled and ripped the world apart. Magic flew across the city in a blue wave, enveloping everyone. For those who had no connection with us it left alone. But the Cirque Du Freak, our allies, wand my family it went to work. Everything was wiped from their memory. They forgot the Shadow Lord, my resurrection. Mr. Tiny forgot his punishment and his resulting turn about of personality. I reset them to the time seconds after I died and with a small, sad sound closed the magic on their memories.

The power it took to do that wiped me out and the god and I hovered above the city, me fluttering my wings in exhaustion with the god clutched in my grip. I still had one last thing to do. I used the last bit of magic I had and sent everyone back to where they would have been right after I died. The god flickered out of my grip and disappeared with one last hateful stare and I smiled sadly. My magic went out altogether an I tumbled down toward the war ravaged city, falling past the skyscraper windows. I stared at my reflection in the windows, watching my blue eyes flicker from human to magic. I knew without a doubt that if I let them stay human my magic would be gone forever.

_'Stay' _I thought._ 'Stay!' _My eyes flickered again and then my eyelids slid shut._ 'Stay…' _I hit the ground, my wings crumpling around me in a mass of feathers and pain and the world faded away; but not before I heard the sound of car doors slamming and an unfamiliar male voice say.

"Tag him."

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**THE END…**

**…For now.**

**R&amp;R please? *throws internet cookies***


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